Ashes to Ashes
by Pirate Gyrl
Summary: After Will and Elizabeth are kidnapped by an unknown pirate, Ashleigh must go to Tortuga to find Captain Jack Sparrow in hopes that he will help her save them.
1. Pirates

Disclaimer:  I still do not own PoTC.  If I had that much money, then perhaps I would.

AN:  okay, here it is.  The story that I had given you a small preview to.  I hope that you'll like it just as much as my other fanfic, Sui Generis.  

Oil Pastel: in answer to your question, yes I will continue to write and post Sui Generis.  I will post each story as soon as they are written.

Ashes to Ashes

Chapter 1: Pirates 

            The sound of swords clashing together echoed through the half-empty streets of Port Royal.  The two fighters are not who you would expect.  One is a young man of perhaps twenty.  A man who has seen what the world is really like.  He has lived an adventure, more than most men see in a lifetime, and lived to tell the tale of it.  Although it is a story that he does not care to talk about, a story about betrayal, mutiny, and curses.  But it is also a story about love.

            The second is a young woman of the same age.  Although she has not experienced an adventure yet in her life, her spirit is filled with a longing for excitement and for a way out of her boring life.  She is a Lady, a woman raised among the rich.  A woman raised to merely be an appendage on her husbands arm.  Her story has only just begun.

            The woman sidestepped slowly, her feet moving underneath her skirts, the hems of her dress trailing along the dusty ground.  She swung her sword quickly, only to be parried by the man that she practiced against.  He stepped to her left quickly and pushed against her sword, making her step back.

            "You will have to do better than that if you meet up with a pirate, Miss O'Shannon," he said, grinning slightly.

            With a sudden act of aggression, she lunged at him, and twirled her sword around his, entangling the tip of her sword into the handle of his.  She pulled up, wrenching his sword from his hand.  The sword flew into the air and she caught it as it fell back down.  She held the two swords against him, the tip of one sword resting against his heart, and the other brushing against his throat.

            "I assure you, Mr. Turner," she replied, her voice taking on its faint Irish accent.  "If I do meet up with a pirate, he will not stand a chance."

            Will laughed.  "I believe that, Miss O'Shannon, but just remember, pirates show no mercy.  You have to strike faster, think faster, then they can, or else you will pay with your life."

            "Of course, Mr. Turner," she replied.  "And please, don't call me 'Miss O'Shannon'.  It is too formal.  We are friends, are we not?"

            Will gave a shy smile.  "We are new friends.  You have known Elizabeth far longer than you have known me."

            "I am aware of that.  But still, as a friend, will you please call me Ashleigh?"

            "I do not . . ." he started.

            "Oh you are much too proper.  If you do not wish to call me by my first name in public, will you at least do it in private company?"

            Will watched her as she talked.  She had been playing with the sword that he had loaned her, balancing it across her finger, watching as it stayed perfectly still.  Ashleigh flipped the sword into the air, and then caught it at its tip, holding the sword out to Will.  He took the sword from her and placed it back in its proper place on the wall.

            "These are beautiful swords, Will.  But why so many?"

            Will ran his fingers down the sword that he had just placed on the wall.  "There was a time when all I could do was make these swords in hopes that I would make enough money to win Elizabeth's heart.  I practiced with them as well, trying to make myself seem better in her eyes.  But a recent event has changed all of that."

            "You had no idea how she felt about you?  She never told you?" Ashleigh asked, cocking her head to one side.  "How odd."

            "Odd?  Why is it odd?"

            She looked him in the eyes.  "Elizabeth wrote to me every month.  She would write about various things, but mostly she wrote about you, and what you had done, what you had said.  Then, when she told me that you had proposed, I knew I had to come and meet you.  She had always seemed so much in love with you, even despite her father's wishes."  

            Will gave her an odd look, one that told her that he had never heard about any of what she had been saying.  Ashleigh rolled her eyes.  "Oh Lord.  If you tell her that I told you this, she'll have my hide.  Then I will come for yours."

            "Of course not.  I won't tell her.  But why would she not tell me?"

            Ashleigh shrugged.  "She has always been a shy girl.  Sort of.  So maybe she was just afraid that if she told you, you would not return her affections."

            A sudden knock on the door interrupted them.  The large wooden door opened slowly to reveal a nervous Elizabeth.  Will looked at her for a moment, and then ran to her side.  "Elizabeth!  What's wrong?  Are you okay?"

            "I . . . um . . . I was told that there is a ship heading for Port.  Its flying pirate colors, Will.  And it's not the _Pearl_."

            "Norrington will handle it, Elizabeth.  You do not need to worry.  There is no pirate ship in the Caribbean that he can't handle."

            "No, Will.  This ship is said to be faster than the _Pearl_ and much more dangerous.  Father says that Norrington has ordered everyone into their homes.  He wants no one to get hurt.  We should . . ."

            Her sentence was shortened as a series of loud explosions sounded in the port.  Elizabeth covered her ears and sank to her knees, Will covering her body with his as small debris fell down from the ceiling.  He turned his eyes to Ashleigh and gestured to the swords on the wall.  Nodding, she ran over to the wall and picked three swords from it, one of them being the sword that Will had practiced with earlier.

            She walked over to her two friends quickly and handed Will a sword, she started to hand one to Elizabeth, but he shook his head.  "No.  If we get separated, or if we lose you during this battle, I want you to find a way to Tortuga.  If we do not meet you there, then I want you to find someone.  He goes by the name of Sparrow.  Find him, give him the sword, tell him what has happened, and he will help you."

            Ashleigh started to ask why when the door to the smithy burst open, revealing a group of roughly dressed men.  Two of the men were missing several of their teeth, and one had a scar running across his nose and cheeks.  Ashleigh's eyes hardened at the sight of the pirates and she raised her two swords slightly.  One of the pirates laughed.  

            "In't this a pretty picture.  C'mon mates, looks like we've found our booty.  The Cap'n only wants the Turner lad and the Swann lass.  Do what ever ya want with the other one," the man with the scar said.

            Will stood up quickly, raising his sword to eye level.  "You will have to go through me to get to them."

            The first pirate laughed cruelly and pulled out his pistol.  As Will watched, the pirate cocked it and then pulled the trigger.  Elizabeth screamed as the bullet struck him in his shoulder, a patch of blood starting to form on his white shirt.  He stared down at the wound, and then crumpled to his knees, the pain becoming too much for him.  When she tried to run to him, the second pirate, one of the ones with missing teeth, smacked her in her face, knocking her unconscious instantly from the force of his blow.

            Ashleigh watched as a third pirate started to drag Will out of the smithy, and as another toothy pirate picked up Elizabeth and carried her out of the shop.  "No," she whispered.  "No!  Leave them alone you monsters!"

            She ran at the first pirate, her swords held up in front of her.  Without warning, her skirts tangled themselves around her legs, and she fell to the dusty floor on her hands and knees, the fabric of her dress ripping.  She could hear the pirate laughing as he walked over to her.

            "Aren't ye a stupid lass?  'At's what ya get fer tryin' ta fight us.  Now be a good lass and jus' stop tryin' ta 'elp yer friends.  We's jus gonna beat ya anyway."

            "No," she whispered, struggling to pick herself up off the floor.

            The pirate shook his head slowly, and then kicked her in her stomach, knocking the air out of her lungs.  She flipped over onto her back from the force of the kick, struggling to regain her lost breath.  He shook his head again, and once more kicked her, only this time he aimed for her forehead.  The blow sent her rolling on the floor, the force of it knocking her unconscious immediately.

            He leaned over her slightly, looking her up and down slowly.  "Ya shoulda listened ta me lass," he said.  He stood up straight again, and pulled a worn piece of paper from his jacket pocket.  He dropped it, letting the thin sheet float down onto her chest.  Then, with a laugh, he turned and followed his comrades out into the ruined port.

            On the paper that lay on Ashleigh's rising and falling chest, was a picture of a sparrow flying over water, a horizon hiding behind it.

AN: Ah.  Another chapter to another story done.  I hope you liked it.  Next:  Tortuga.  We'll see what happens when Ashleigh goes to Tortuga and meets up with a certain pirate Captain that we all know and love.

Plz r/r!!!!!!


	2. Tortuga

Disclaimer:  If I owned PotC, the Apocalypse would come and giant bunny rabbits would rule the Earth.

AN:  wow!  I am so happy that so many of you like 'Ashes to Ashes'.  It makes me feel so proud that I can entertain so many people.  I hope you continue to review so that I know how I am doing and if I need to change something.

AN2:  I am so sorry about the wait!  But, my computer had pretty much died and we had to re-download everything on our computer, which made us lose everything.  So now we finally have Word back and I can finish the chapters!

Ashes to Ashes

Chapter 2: Tortuga 

            Ashleigh woke to a pounding pain in her head.  She opened her eyes slowly, the dim light of the dying fire burning her eyes.  She sat up slowly, her head pounding with the movement, her stomach hurting as she sat up.  She touched her stomach gently, running her fingers up her clothed skin to the ribs that were hidden there.  She flinched as she pressed one of her ribs, pain rushing into her already throbbing mind.

            She pushed herself up, swaying as a sudden bout of dizziness struck her.  She tipped over slightly, a beam catching her before she could fall down.  Ashleigh held onto the beam for support, closing her eyes to try and stop the world from spinning around her.  As soon as she thought it safe she pushed herself off of the beam and walked slowly towards the center of the room.  When something wrinkled under her foot, she looked down.  A piece of paper lay on the floor, one that she had never seen before.

            Ashleigh bent down slowly and picked up the paper, holding it up to her face so she could see it.  Words filtered through her jumbled mind as she scanned the image on the paper.  "_He goes by the name of Sparrow,_" Will had said.  And yet here was this image of a sparrow flying over water.

            She struggled to figure out how these two were connected, but her head throbbed every time she tried to concentrate.  Somehow, Ashleigh managed to collect the two swords that she had held before the attack and stumbled out of the smithy into the chaotic aftereffects of the attack.

            A lone figure walked through the crowded streets of Port Royal.  Guards ran past the figure, hurrying to help people in need.  Some guards carried bodies of people who had been seriously injured during the raid.  The figure ducked its head as a group of people walked past, hiding its face from anyone's view.

            The person wore a white shirt with a brown vest buttoned over it.  If one looked hard enough, they would see a thin white bandage covering the top of its chest.  Thin, brown breeches, that seemed almost too big for the person who wore them, covered the figure's long, slim legs.  Black boots covered its feet.  The figure wore a large brown hat, covering its black hair.

            The figure hurried past the ruined buildings, past the large gated houses and up to the busy dock.  The figure stepped in front of a young man who stood in front of a small boat, one of the only men in the port not running around following someone else's orders.

            "Excuse me, sir.  I'd like to charter this boat," the figure said.

            The man looked up, a confused look on his face.  "Are you daft lad?  Can't you see that. . ." His voice trailed off as he caught sight of the figure's face.  "What the hell are you doin' lass?  You're brother'll 'ave a fit if 'e sees you.  
            A hand over his mouth stopped him.  "Hush, Mr. Abrams.  Do you want the whole Port to know?" she replied, removing her hand.

            "But why'r ya dressed like that, Miss O'Shannon?  Men's clothing isn't meant fer a Lady ta wear."

            "I have to leave, Mr. Abrams.  The pirates . . . they took Will and Elizabeth.  I have to go find them."

            "Dressed like a lad?  Where could ye possibly go ta dress up like that?"

            Ashleigh stared him directly in the eye, her fingers pushing aside a stray strand of her black hair that had fallen out of the hat.  "Tortuga."

            Abrams stared at her as if she were crazy.  "Tortuga?  Ain't no place fer a Lady," he said, laughing.

            A dagger pointing at his throat stopped his laughter.  He looked up at her, up into her dark green eyes that blazed in the waning light.  "You can either take me to Tortuga, Mr. Abrams, or I can commandeer your boat and go there by myself."

            Abrams looked down at the weapon, and then back up at Ashleigh.  "If yer brother, or even yer father, finds out about this, they'll kill me."

            "Then do not tell them, Mr. Abrams," she replied, placing her dagger back in its sheath, her other hand resting lightly on the hilt of one of her swords.

            Abrams stared at her again.  "Why not allow Commodore Norrington to find them?"

            Ashleigh sighed again.  "Because I promised Will that I would find someone for him.  And that someone is supposed to be in Tortuga."

            After a few moments of silence, Abrams nodded, and then stepped aside, allowing Ashleigh to walk aboard the ship.

            On the third night of their travel, a hand on her leg woke Ashleigh from a dreamless sleep.  She sat up slowly, a dull throb appearing in her mind.  "What is it, Mr. Abrams?" she asked.

            Abrams pointed through the darkness to a large island that stood in front of them.  The only light that filtered through the darkness was small fires that dotted the land throughout the island.  Ashleigh could see the outline of several ships docked in the darkened port.  "Tortuga?" she asked.

            "Tortuga," he replied.

            Ashleigh had wandered for nearly two hours through the dark, noisy streets of Tortuga before she had encountered one of the many drunken men that roamed in the thick blackness of the island.  At her request, and against his own wishes, she had sent Abrams back to Port Royal after she had left his boat.  But now, facing the largest drunken man she had ever seen, she almost wished that she had made him stay.

            The drunken man's sword wobbled in front of her face.  "C'mon lad, draw yer sword," he slurred, his breath reeking of, what she could only assume was gallons, of rum that he and imbibed.

            "I meant no harm, sir," she replied, lowering her voice slightly, doing her best to mimic a boy's voice.  "It was merely an accident."

            "Don' play wit' me, lad.  Draw yer sword or I'll kill ye where ya stand an' take yer fancy weapons off yer dead corpse."

            Ashleigh shook her head slightly, pulling the hat further down over her face.  Without warning, the man swung at her.  On reflex, her left hand grabbed one of the swords that hung at her left hip.  A loud crash echoed through the streets as the two swords hit.  She stepped back slightly, disengaging the two weapons and flipping her sword in her hand, placing the sword's hilt the right way in her palm.

            The man stumbled as her weight disappeared from against him.  He righted himself slowly and fixed his glazed gaze on her.  Ashleigh looked him in the eyes, watching as his eyes flicked behind her.  She separated her feet slightly, her right hand reaching for the knife that sat in its sheath in her belt.

            She held her left hand up, placing her sword in a defensive position in front of her.  She readied herself to protect her back when the sound of metal hitting metal reached her ears.  Ashleigh turned around slightly, glancing at the two figures that had appeared behind her.

            One man stood directly behind her, his sword aiming at her back.  The second man, a man who looked very weird to her, with beads and a piece of bone hiding in his unruly hair and on his beard, stood just to the right of her, his sword intersecting the other.  He was the first to speak.  "'At's not nice, mate.  Attackin' someone from behind like that."

            "I can take care of myself, sir," Ashleigh said, lowering her head slightly.  "These two drunkards are nothing to me."

            "Aye, _mate," the first drunk said sarcastically.  "This's between me an' the lad."_

            The man to her right blinked his dark eyes.  "Lad?" he said, confusion entering his voice.  Ashleigh felt his gaze shift over her body, looking her up and down.

            The second drunk growled and pulled his sword away from the braided man's weapon, swinging it once again at Ashleigh's back.  Quicker than she could follow, the man intercepted the sword again and then pushed up with his feet, swinging his fist at the drunk's face.  His fist connected with the drunk's cheek, forcing the man to reel back and fall flat on his back in the mud, consciousness slipping away from him.

            The first drunk blinked slowly and then lunged at Ashleigh again.  She side-stepped quickly, just as Will had done only three days before, and brought her sword hilt down upon the man's head.  He fell face first in the mud and, as she watched, showed no signs of getting back up any time soon.

            "That should sober him up," she said, lowering her voice once again.

            "Don't count on it . . . lad," he said, pausing slightly.

            "I thank you for your assistance, sir," she said.  "But it was not needed."

            The man placed his sword back in its sheath and shook his head.  "Whatever ya say.  S'not fair ta go two on one, I say."

            "Not for them."

            The man smiled, revealing golden teeth.  "Aye, per'aps not," he said, pushing his sleeves up slowly.  Ashleigh's eyes widened as she caught sight of the small _P_ that had been burned into his skin.

            "You're a pirate!" she said.

            His eyebrows rose slightly.  "Yes.  So are most of the other men on this island."

            She continued to watch as he pushed his sleeves up further.  Her eyes narrowed as a small marking of a bird flying over water caught her eye.  Instantly, her sword was at his throat.

            His eyes narrowed as well.  "You think that wise, lad?" he said.

            "Who are you?"

            "I should be askin' you the same thing."

            "I will not ask you again," she replied through gritted teeth.

            Suddenly, the man raised his arm slightly, pushing the sword out of her hand.  He pushed against her, slamming her back into a wall, his right hand wrapped around her right wrist, and his left arm pinning her across the chest.  "I am Captain Jack Sparrow," he said softly.  "And you," he said, his gaze drifting down to the small body pressed between his body and the wall.  "Are not a lad."

AN:  Ta da!  Finally a chapter 2!  Up next, Chapter 3: The Black Pearl.

Plz r/r!!!!!!


	3. The Black Pearl

Disclaimer:  if I owned PoTC, or even just Jack, I'm not sure I would be writing this, because then I would have Jack all to me onesies.

AN:  I am so sorry about the wait!  I've had a paper to write for English and a test to study for in Anthropology, so I haven't had much time to write.  But nevertheless, here it is.

**PED-sarah**: in answer to your question, no the pirate was not Jack.  The pirate that dropped the paper was leaving it there as a sort of summons for him.  As you'll find out in later chapters.  The next one maybe. . .  

Ashes to Ashes

Chapter 3: The Black Pearl 

            Ashleigh stared, wide-eyed, down at the man who held her pinned against the wall.  Her mind and her heart were racing, partly because this man who held her was dangerous and partly because this was the man she had been looking for.  "You are Jack Sparrow?"

            "Captain, if you please, love," he said, glancing up from her chest to meet her eyes.  "Now what would a lass like yerself be doin' alone in Tortuga?"

            "Looking for you," she answered, trying to twist her right wrist in his grasp.  His grip was beginning to cut the circulation off to her hand, making it go numb.

            Jack jerked his head back to stare at her.  "Lookin' fer me?" he leaned back in, his nose almost touching hers.  "Why?  Yer not a member of the Royal Navy, are you?"

            "No, Mr. Sp-"

            "Captain," he interjected.

            "Yes, sorry.  Captain Sparrow.  I'm not a member, as you call them, of the British Navy.  But we do have some friends in common, you and me."

            "Do we now?  And who would they be?"

            "Will Turner and Elizabeth Swann," she replied, staring in his dark brown eyes.  "Now, will you please let me go, I cannot feel my hand."  
            Jack drew back slowly, releasing her hand and removing his arm from her chest, letting her land on the ground.  He stepped back from her, looking down at her from underneath his hat.  "If yer friends with the whelp and 'is bonny lass, then why'r ya lookin' fer me?"

            Ashleigh reached up and removed the large brown hat, releasing her long black hair.  She looked up at him, her green eyes flashing in the dim light.  "Because William Turner told me to find you if anything happened to them."  
            Jack tucked the toe of his boot underneath the sword that he had knocked out of her hand and kicked up.  The sword flew into the air and he caught it by the hilt.  He flipped the sword in his palm, holding the hilt out to her.  Ashleigh took the sword from him, staring up at him incredulously.  "Did you hear me?  They told me to find you. . ."

            "If somethin' 'appens to them," he finished.  "I heard you.  Now, if you'll stop yer yammering and let me think. . ."

            Ashleigh stopped him, exasperated.  "What is there to think about!?  We need to go save them!  We. . ."

            Jack held up his hand to stop her.  "We, love?  What do ya mean 'we'? 'Ow do I even know yer tellin' the truth? 'Ow do I know yer not the one 'oo kidnapped them?"

            "Honestly, Captain.  Do I look like a pirate?"

            Jack lifted his hat up slightly with his finger, looking her up and down.  "To be honest, love, yes, you do."

            Ashleigh blushed.  "Oh, well, of course.  Dressed like this, I would."

            Jack rubbed his forehead slowly, as if the conversation were giving him a headache.  He watched as Ashleigh unsheathed her second sword, holding it out to him.  "Will told me that if you did not believe me, to give you this sword, and then you would trust me."

            He took the sword from her slowly, holding it up to the light to look at it.  In the semi-darkness, Jack could make out the full length of the weapon.  A smirk formed on his lips as he noticed the small inscription of the initials _J. S. and a bird on the blade.  This sword was definitely made by Will's hand.  "He gave this to you?"_

            Ashleigh nodded.  "Yes.  To give to you."

            "Fine," he replied, turning on his heel and starting to walk away.

            "Wait!  Where are you going?" she called, following him.

            "To me _Pearl, where do ya think?"_

            "But . . . what about me?  You cannot just leave me here!"

            "I, love," he began, turning around quickly, causing Ashleigh to stop short to avoid colliding with him.  "Can do anything I want.  That comes with being captain of my own ship.  And, I still don't completely trust you."

"Don't trust me?  Have I ever given you reason not to trust me?"

Jack smirked at the familiar saying.  He had said it several times himself. "Aye, lass, ya 'ave.  You did hold a sword against my throat."

            Ashleigh looked down.  "I'm sorry.  I was confused.  I saw your tattoo and I thought that you were the one who had kidnapped Will and Elizabeth," she paused, pulling out the small piece of paper that she had found after the attack.  "I found this after the raid.  I didn't know what it meant, but then I saw your tattoo."

            Jack took the paper that she held out to him.  He unfolded it slowly and glanced down at the image of his marking.  "Oh, hell," he muttered and then started to walk away again.

            "Oh for the love of. . . Captain Sparrow!  You cannot just leave me here!"

            "I thought we already covered this, lass.  I can do what I want."

            "I have no way to get back!"

            "S'not my problem, love."

            With a frustrated growl, Ashleigh grabbed him by the arm, turning him around roughly.  "Damn you!  Elizabeth is my closest friend!  I have need to see her home safely!"

            Jack opened his mouth to reply, but closed it as he stared down into her eyes.  Eyes filled with a mixture of anger, hatred, and sadness.  "What's yer name love?"

            Ashleigh hesitated for a moment.  "Ash," she said, staring back at him.

            "Very well then. . . Ash.  Come along.  I'm in a bit of a hurry," he replied, swatting at the hand that still gripped his arm.

            She let him go reluctantly, and then followed him as he swaggered down the road, the beads in his hair jingling.  "Does this mean I can come with you?" she asked. 

            Jack heaved a sigh.  "Aye, lass that it does.  But on one condition.  You have to continue acting as your male counterpart, savvy?"

            "What?   Why?"

            He continued walking, not bothering to turn around.  "Because I don't need Gibbs getting on my case about bringing another woman on board.  It's bad enough that he still goes on about AnaMaria, I don't need 'im goin' off about you too."

            Ashleigh nodded slowly.  For some reason, what he said actually made sense to her.  "But, what about my hair?  It's too long for a male."

            "I'll give ya a bandana, lass.  Now stop jabbering an' just follow me," Jack answered, and then shivered as a sudden chill made its way down his back from the dirty look that he knew she was giving him.  He smirked, revealing a few of his gold teeth.  He was going to like this one.

            Ashleigh followed Jack through the dark streets of Tortuga, making their way to the docks.  At some point during the trek, he had grabbed her hand.  Whether it was to make sure he didn't lose her or to make sure she didn't get pulled away from him, she wasn't sure.

            She kept her eyes down, not daring to look in the eyes of any of the drunken pirates or prostitutes that walked around them; for fear that they would take it as a challenge.  Ashleigh's forehead slammed into Jack's back as he stopped suddenly.  She looked up to find that they had stopped on the dock, right in front of a large black ship.

            Jack spread his arms out, a grin on his face, saying, "Welcome to the _Black Pearl, Ash."_

AN:  Up next, Chapter 4: Templeton.  We'll find out exactly who it is that is after Jack and see how Will and Elizabeth are faring!  See ya next time!

Plz r/r!!!!!!


	4. Templeton

Disclaimer:  the only thing I own is myself.  Like I could afford to own PoTC.

AN: okay, so if I don't do this now, I'll probably forget all about it.  I would like to thank my sister for helping me figure out why it is that this pirate captain hates Jack.  Although how anyone could ever hate Jack, I'll never know. . .

Ashes to Ashes

Chapter 4: Templeton 

            Elizabeth sat in the small cell that she had woken up in.  Her head still ached, even five days after the attack.  She rested her head back against the wall of the ship, closing her eyes.  Her fingers entangled themselves in Will's hair.  She had cleaned his wound as best she could with little bandages and clean water.

            They had yet to meet the captain of _The_ _Mystic Banshee, and yet they had met almost every pirate that made bunk on this ship.  Every day, a pirate would bring down a plate of food, barely enough to fill both of their stomachs.  Elizabeth had only taken small amounts of the meals for herself, giving the rest to her hurt beloved.  He had refused to eat the first two days, but then after she continued to insist; he ate, if only small bites the first few times._

            Elizabeth looked down at her sleeping fiancée.  His face was peaceful in his slumber.  She trailed her fingers down his cheek gently so as not to wake him from the one restful sleep that he had since they had been taken aboard the ship.  She leaned over slightly and brushed her lips against his forehead.  "Ah, in't that sweet?" a gruff voice said.

            Elizabeth's head jerked up to stare at the scar faced pirate that had attacked them in Port Royal.  "What do you want?  Why did you kidnap us?"

"All very important questions I'm sure, lass, but all questions fer the cap'n."

"Then I would like to meet the captain.  If you will not give me answers, then I would like to talk with him."

The man smirked slightly.  "The cap'n'll meet wit' ya when. . ."

"When I damn well feel like it," a voice said above them.

Elizabeth turned her head to her right, staring up at the stairs that led up to the upper deck of the ship.  Standing mid-way down the staircase was a tall woman.  Her dark brown hair was pulled back in a loose pony-tail and her dark eyes glared down at everyone that stood in front of her.  She wore a pair of black breeches and a loose black shirt open to mid-chest.  Her sword and gun hung around her waist.  "So these are the two most important people in Jack Sparrows life?"

"Aye, Cap'n," the scarred man replied.  "Found them in Port Royal, jus' like the man said."

"Good," she replied walking down the last few steps into the brig.  "Welcome aboard _The Mystic Banshee_, Miss Swann, I have some important plans for you and your beloved."

"You're plans will have to wait.  Will won't make it much longer if he doesn't see a doctor.  Whatever plans you have for us, will be destroyed if he dies.  I'm sure Jack Sparrow would not take it lightly if he does."

The captain stared down at her, narrowing her eyes slightly.  She glanced down at the wounded Will and then back up to meet Elizabeth's eyes.  "We'll be makin' berth in two days time.  He'll see a doctor then.  Can you be satisfied with that?"

Elizabeth nodded slowly, unsure of what to make out of this new development.  Perhaps this pirate captain wasn't as she let on.  "Yes, thank you.  But please, until then, may I have clean water and bandages?  The wound may already be infected."

The captain looked down at her, saying nothing.  Then, she waved her hand at the scarred man behind her, dismissing him to get what Elizabeth had requested.  "I am Captain Alexi Templeton."

"I would give you my name, Captain, but it appears you already know it."

Templeton smiled.  "That's true, Miss Swann."

"What do you want with us?  What did we do to you?"

"You did nothing, but a friend of yours did."

"You mean Jack Sparrow?  So you kidnap us to get to him?  Why even bring us into your little feud?"

"Little feud?" Templeton repeated, her eyes seeming to grow darker.  "This is no little feud.  He deserves to die."

Elizabeth drew back in shock.  The hatred that Templeton possessed seemed to grow ten times worse than it had been before.  The anger in her eyes was clearly visible.  "No person deserves to die," she replied.

"Oh?" Templeton said, her eyebrows rising.  "What about the pirates you and Mr. Turner killed two years ago?  Did they deserve to die?"

"That was different," Elizabeth answered.  "They were already dead."

"Ah yes, the little curse that everyone talks about.  The little curse and the wonderful heroics of Captain Jack Sparrow.  Don't make me laugh.  Sparrow is a cutthroat and a bastard.  He deserves to die for what he did."

"What did he do?  Why does he deserve to die?  Why do we deserve to be brought into this?  We haven't even seen Jack Sparrow since he got the _Black Pearl_ back!  We have had no communication with him!"

"He considers you his friends.  That is all I the information I need.  I will get my revenge on him."

"What did he do," Will asked, waking up from the light slumber.  "Leave you stranded on an island?  Did he sleep with you and then leave before you woke up?"

Templeton slammed her fist into the bars.  "Do not mock me, Mr. Turner.  I hold your life in my hands."

Will sat up slowly, wincing as he pulled the wound in his shoulder.  "No, Jack does."

Templeton's eyes narrowed.  "Then you had better pray that he finds you." 

With that, she turned around and walked up the stairs, leaving them in silence once more.

Jack stood at the helm of the _Black Pearl, his fingers caressing the wood of his wheel.  His eyes gazed out over the darkened ocean, the wind whipped at his unruly hair.  His right hand fingered the small wooden box that hung at his side.  A smile made its way across his mouth as memories of two years past entered his mind._

Footsteps echoed on the stairs leading up to where he stood.  He glanced over to see Ash walking up to him.  He tipped his head back slightly in acknowledgement and then turned back to the quiet water.  "Captain Sparrow?"

After a moment, Jack looked over at her.  As he had promised, he had given her a bandana to tie her hair up with.  She had placed the brown hat back on her head, hiding the little bit of hair that still hung around her face.  Two days ago, when they had reached the ship, Jack had introduced her as Ash, a male apprentice of William Turner and a friend of Elizabeth Swann's.  The entire crew had welcomed her, and even Gibbs seemed not to notice anything amiss.  AnaMaria on the other hand had said nothing, merely staring at Jack and Ash.

"Can I help you?" he replied.

"I, um, wanted to thank you, for allowing me to join you on the hunt for Will and Elizabeth."

Jack laughed.  "I don't think you would've let me do otherwise.  You would've followed me to me _Pearl_ anyway."

Ashleigh smiled.  "You're right.  I would have.  I don't give up that easily.  But. . ."

"But, what?"

"You seemed to be more worried about them after I showed you the picture.  I just. . . I just wondered why."

Jack was silent for a moment, but continued to stare at her.  Suddenly, he turned away from her and started to walk away.  Ashleigh watched him go, her head cocked to one side, wondering what this man was thinking.  He paused and looked behind him.  "You coming?" he asked.

Ashleigh nodded and followed him down the stairs and into his cabin.

Templeton walked down the stairway, looking down at her feet.  She stopped in front of the cell that held Elizabeth and Will and stared down at them.  The two lovebirds slept next to each other, Elizabeth sleeping on Will's chest.  "You would never understand," she whispered and then took a drink from the mug of rum that she held.  "You're too pure hearted.  Just like she was."

"Who was?"

Templeton jumped slightly as Elizabeth spoke up.  "Thought you were asleep."

"I was.  You woke me when you walked down the stairs.  Who was too pure hearted?"

Templeton's eyes narrowed.  "My sister," she replied, sitting down on a barrel across from the cell.  "She was too bloody pure hearted to realize that you can't trust anybody but yerself."

"Is that why you are after Captain Sparrow?  Did he hurt your sister?" she asked, sitting up slowly.

"No."

Elizabeth was silent for a moment, and then asked, "Did he . . . did he kill her?"

"He was responsible for her death."

Jack sat down at his desk, propping his feet up on the dark wood.  He placed his hat on the desktop and then waited for Ashleigh to sit down.  He watched as she took off her own hat, and then removed the red bandana that bound her hair.  He followed the long tresses with his eyes as they fell down past her shoulders.  His eyes went to meet hers as she pulled her fingers through the knots in her dark hair.

He leaned back slowly in his seat, lifting the front legs of the chair off of the floor.  "Aye.  It bothered me ta see my tattoo on that paper, because that meant that they were taken because of me."

"Why would you think that?  You have no proof."

Jack pulled the little piece of paper from his vest pocket and unfolded it, staring down at it.  He flipped the paper over in his hand and held it up for her to see.  On the back was an image of a small building, something much like an ancient temple.  "This is the marking of a woman by the name of Alexi Templeton.  She's a pirate captain I've known her for about five years."

"But why would she want you?"

"Because she blames me for her sister's death."

"Jack Sparrow," Templeton said, spitting the name out as if it was a poison on her tongue.  "was responsible for killing my sister.  He acted like a coward and hid behind a woman when another pirate shot at him.  That woman was my sister.  She had made the mistake of falling in love with him and believing that he loved her and would protect her.  But he proved her wrong."

Elizabeth said nothing for Jack had done something similar to that when they had first met.  After he had saved her life, though, and when Norrington and her father had threatened to kill him.  "Jack wouldn't do that," she said finally.

"Don't tell me what he wouldn't do!" Templeton yelled, jumping to her feet.  "I was there.  I saw what he did!  And I will get my revenge on him!"

"Templeton's sister. . . I met her in Tortuga once.  We were lovers for awhile until one night when I was in a fight with another pirate.  He had a friend hiding behind me and she noticed him.  The man pulled a gun to shoot me in the back, but she jumped in the way.  The bullet caught her in the heart," he stopped for a moment, closing his eyes.  "She died in my arms."

Ashleigh said nothing.  She had never lost someone, save for her mother, but she had died soon after she was born so she had not known her.  Even though Jack was trying to hide his emotions, she could see how much this was hurting him.  "I'm sorry."

Jack shook his head.  "Templeton came in at the end.  All she saw was her sister getting shot and dying in my arms.  She assumed that I hid behind her sister to save myself."

He pulled his feet off of his desk and leaned forward, putting the two chair legs back on the floor.  He lowered his head and placed his hands on the desk.  Jack said nothing until a warm hand made its way onto his.  He looked up at Ashleigh looking at him, sympathy evident in her eyes.  He pulled back slightly and then pulled his hands away.  "Anyway," he said, his voice going back to its normal slurred state.  "Templeton probably took the whelp and his lass to get to me.  I'm vaguely sure they'll make berth somewhere to restock whatever supplies they didn't get from raiding Port Royal and that's when we'll get them."

Ashleigh stared at him, slightly taken aback when he had pulled away.  She knew he was hurting on the inside, but refused to show it.  Suddenly, before she could say anything, the door to his cabin flew open revealing an angry AnaMaria.  "I knew it," she said.

AN:  Up next, Chapter 5: On the Trail.  

Plz r/r!!!!!!


	5. On the Trail

Disclaimer:  I own only the characters that you don't recognize.  The others I would love to own.

AN:  I'm sorry that it took so long for this chapter to be uploaded.  I had a slight case of writers block and my imagination died for just a short period of time.  Plus, I was also very busy watching a very good six hour long Johnny Depp movie spree!  But, nevertheless, here it is, and I hope you like it!

**Tara****:  I wouldn't say that AnaMaria is jealous; it's more along the lines that she figured something wasn't right.  So, she played out a hunch and found out that Ash wasn't a man.  **

Ashes to Ashes

Chapter 5: On the Trail 

Jack jumped to his feet, his eyes opened wide. "AnaMaria, darling!"

"Don't you dare 'AnaMaria darling' me!  You lied to me!  No, not only to me, but to your crew!  I am yer first mate, Jack.  I deserve to know the truth!" she said, striding into the room and slamming the door.

"You're absolutely right!  You do deserve to know the truth.  It was Gibbs I was tryin' ta keep it from.  You know how he gets when I bring another woman on board!  And now you know the truth, so you really can't be mad!"

AnaMaria pointed her finger in his face, a look of anger evident on her face, and then turned her attention to Ashleigh.  "And you!  I don't know who you are, but. . ."

Ashleigh stood up slowly.  "Please, AnaMaria, do not be mad at Captain Sparrow.  It was my fault that he kept this from you.  I needed his help and he agreed."

"A woman needing help from Jack Sparrow?" AnaMaria said.  "What kind of help would you need from him?"

"We have friends in trouble."

"What friends?"

"Will Turner and Elizabeth Swann," Ashleigh replied, staring back up into the older woman's dark eyes.                      

"Will and Elizabeth?  They're in trouble?  Since when?" AnaMaria asked, turning her eyes to Jack.  "And why didn't you tell me?" she cried, hitting him on the arm.

Jack flinched and then said, "I only just learned meself."

"When?  Two days ago?"

            Jack sat back down in his chair.  "Aye.  Two days ago.  Would've told ya, AnaMaria.  Just had ta wait fer the right time."

            "And when would that be?  When they are dead?  They are my friends as well, Jack.  I have a right to know."

            "Very well.  Will and Elizabeth were kidnapped five days ago by, at the time, an unknown pirate.  Ash was there at the time and was told by Will to find me if anything happened to them."

            "Do you know who it was?"

            Jack looked at Ash, and then back at AnaMaria.  "Aye," he said softly.  "I know," he said again, then trailed off into silence, a look of pain crossing his face.

            When he said no more, Ashleigh spoke up.  "Her name is Templeton.  Jack believes she took Will and Elizabeth to get to him."

            "Templeton?  Oh God Jack, I'm sorry."

            "You know about Templeton?" Ashleigh asked.

            "Aye," AnaMaria replied.  "I know of her.  I knew her sister.  That was before Jack regained the _Pearl though, before I was part of his crew.  I was there when it happened."_

            Ashleigh looked down, averting her eyes.  "I wish I could've done something to stop those men," she said, reaching up and touching the spot on her forehead where the pirate had kicked her.  "But I wasn't strong enough."

            Jack snorted.  "Love, you took out a drunk pirate by yerself, I think yer strong enough."

            "But I wasn't strong enough to save them, was I?"

            AnaMaria touched her shoulder briefly.  "You couldn't have saved them by yerself, Ash.  That would have been impossible.  If you at least tried, that's all that matters."

            Ashleigh nodded weakly.  

            "We'll find them, love," Jack said.  "I have a feelin' I know where they're goin'."

            Elizabeth sat against the wall silently, her eyes closed, although sleep would not come to her.  Will continued to move around in her lap, his eyes moving in a feverish dream.  Her hands ran slowly through his hair, trying to sooth his mind.  She jumped slightly as footsteps thumped down the stairs.

            She opened her eyes to stare up at Captain Templeton and two other pirates, one of them being the scarred man.  "Time ta leave, lass," Templeton said.  "We made berth a few minutes ago."

            When Elizabeth made no move to get up, Templeton narrowed her eyes.  "Do you want the lad to get help or not, Miss Swann?"

            "I can't carry him," Elizabeth replied quietly.  "As much as I would love to, he's too heavy.  I'm afraid to move him.  I'm afraid I'll injure him more."

            Templeton rolled her eyes, and then gestured to the men behind her.  The men unlocked the cell door and walked in.  They bent down over Will and Elizabeth, scooping up the unconscious Will.  She held onto him for a moment longer, her fingers clinging to his shirt, and then let him go.  One of the men grabbed him under his arms, the other taking hold of his feet.

            Silently, the two men backed out of the cell, taking Will with them.  Elizabeth stood up slowly, using her hands to pull herself up.  She walked towards Templeton, keeping her eyes level with the pirate captain's.  "He will see a doctor," Elizabeth said, more of a statement than a question.

            Templeton gave a sarcastic half bow, "Of course, m'lady."

            Ashleigh sat, her legs hanging over the side of the crows nest, staring out into the darkened night sky.  The loose strands of her hair becoming tangled by the wind.  Her eyes gazed off into lost memories of times when she and Elizabeth were younger.  Memories of times when they were children playing in the fields of their parents houses.  Those were times when they worried about nothing, when their cares were thrust into the loving caresses of the wind.

            "Ash!" a voice called up to her.

            Ashleigh looked down to find Jack Sparrow looking up at her.  "Mind if I come up?"

            "It's your ship, Captain.  Do as you wish," she called back to him.

            She watched for a moment as Jack started to climb up the rope ladder to meet her, and then turned her attention back to the stars.  Moments later, Jack climbed into the small crows nest and sat down next to her.  He said nothing for awhile, and then turned to her.  "You okay, love?"

            "I'm fine," she replied.

            "Uh-huh," he said.  "I'm sure.  You can talk about it, lass.  They are my friends as well."

            "But you weren't there.  I was.  I could have stopped them."

            Jack's eyes grew serious as his voice took on a sympathetic tone.  "You're gonna have ta stop lettin' this eat at ya, love.  It's only gonna make you feel worse."

            "I already feel worse, Captain.  Nothing can make it any worse."

            "You're wrong, lass.  If you keep thinkin' about it, if you keep lettin' it bother you, you'll fall into yer own little version of hell," he paused.  "I should know.  I've been there."

            "Because of Templeton's sister?"

            "Aye, because of Daveigh.  For months after her death, I let it eat at me because I believed it was my fault."

            "How did you . . .?"

            A finger on her lips shushed her.  "Enough for now, love.  Let's talk about somethin' else," he said, his voice once again taking on its jovial tone.

            Ashleigh's eyes narrowed slightly.  "Like what?"

            "Anythin'.  Take yer pick."

            "I. . . I'm not sure what would be a good topic," she replied.

            "Fine, then.  You said yer name was Ash.  Short fer somethin', eh?"

            "Yes.  My full name is Ashleigh.  I was named after my mother."

            "Ah.  Pretty name.  Don't hear it much in the Caribbean."

            Ashleigh looked over at him.  The moonlight highlighted the dark color in his eyes and caused the beads in his hair to glow.  "My family lives in England.  I was here on vacation visiting Elizabeth, a sort of celebration for her upcoming wedding."

            "Ah, yes.  I love weddings.  I plan on being there for it."

            Ashleigh laughed softly.  "That I would love to see."

            "Perhaps ya will, love.  Perhaps ya will," Jack said, and then paused, staring over at her.  His fingers pushed aside a stray strand of hair that had been blown into her face, his fingertips brushing against her cheek.  

            Ashleigh turned to look at him only to find their faces inches apart.  She fought against the urge to pull back from him.  She fought against the ways that she had been raised, the practices that said that a man and woman should never be too close unless they were married or betrothed, and she and Jack were neither one.  Silence reigned between them as they stared at each other.

            A small smile formed on his lips as he started to lean in close to her.  Ashleigh's eyes closed half way as she leaned up to meet his lips.  Suddenly, her face scrunched up and she pushed against his chest, pushing herself away from him.  "I'm sorry, I can't," she said, and placing her borrowed hat back over her hair, she crawled out of the crows nest and down the rope ladder to the deck of the ship, leaving Jack to stare down at her as she ran across the deck and into the cabin that he had loaned her.

AN:  Up next, Chapter 6: Thoughts.  

Plz r/r!!!!!!


	6. Thoughts

Disclaimer:  Please.  I barely own my sanity.      

AN: Yay!  Pirates won favorite movie of the year on the People's choice awards!  I was so happy I think my parents thought I was crazy. 

AN2:  Sorry it took so long, but I have had extreme writers block with this story.  But I have finally pushed past it and written the end of this chapter that has been in the process of being written since before Sui Generis was complete.  I hope you like it!

**Oil Pastel:**  I guess he loved her in his own little way.  Daveigh, Templeton's sister, wasn't just a one night stand in Tortuga for him.  She was someone that he could probably see himself being with for a long time.  It's really hard to explain, tho. . .   

Ashes to Ashes

Chapter 6: Thoughts 

            Ashleigh sat on the small cot in her small cabin.  Her legs were pressed against her chest, her arms wrapped around her knees.  She had released her hair from its bindings so it hung around her face in long tangled black strands.  Her green eyes were gazing blankly at the wall, her thoughts lost in the silence.  Had she really been about to kiss the infamous Captain Jack Sparrow?  Had she really been about to go against everything that she had been taught?

            "Of course not," she whispered to herself.  "I would do no such thing."

            Her thoughts rolled around in her mind, thoughts of times past and thoughts of things that had happened in the present.  Questions scattered themselves in her brain, questions about her life, her family and current events.  How could she have been about to do something like that?  How could she have been about to kiss a _pirate?  _

            _Because you have feelings that are unused and because you have questions about things you feel that you cannot answer, a voice in her head told her._

            Ashleigh shook her head, attempting to remove the voice from her mind.  She told herself it wasn't true, that she, a Lady, would never try to kiss someone like that.  But then, her thoughts turned to Elizabeth and Will.  Elizabeth had told Ashleigh that she considered Will to be a pirate.  She had told her that his father was a pirate, although they had been told that he had been a good man.  _But how could a pirate be a good man?_ She wondered.

            A sudden knock on her cabin door interrupted her thoughts.  She stayed silent for a moment, hoping that maybe if she stayed quiet, whoever was knocking on her door would go away.  She was disappointed, however, when the knock sounded again.  "Oh, go away," she whispered.

            "Ash?" a female voice called.  "Ash, may I come in?"

            "Um . . . um yes, please do," she called back.  Seconds later, the door opened to reveal AnaMaria standing in the doorway.

            "You alright, lass?" AnaMaria asked.

            "I'm fine, thank you.  I just . . . needed to think for a moment."

            AnaMaria nodded slowly, stepping fully into the room and shutting the door behind her.  "I see he worked his charms on you, Ash."

            "Who?" Ashleigh asked, feigning ignorance.

            "Jack Sparrow, of course.  He has a way of charming the women."

            Ashleigh looked down at her knees.  "Of course he does.  I would expect nothing less of a pirate captain, especially one of his nature."

            "He does seem fond of the ladies, doesn't he?"

            Ashleigh nodded, her chin still resting on her knees.  "I always dreamt of a life like this, you know?"

            "A life like what?" AnaMaria asked, sitting down on the bed next to her.

            "A life with adventure and excitement.  When we were younger, Elizabeth and I made a bet to see which one of us would live the most exciting life.  So far, I think she has won."

            "And why would you believe that?  I doubt she has lived any more of an exciting life than you have."

            Ashleigh turned her head to look the older woman in the eye.  "Elizabeth moved out to the Caribbean, becoming the daughter of the Governor of Port Royal.  She has met up with pirates, don't ask me how, and fallen in love with a wonderful man.  That is all I have ever asked for, something to get me away from this boring life, this life of rules and regulations.  I want out of a life where women stand behind men, where we hide what we think and feel," she stopped for a moment, her eyes gazing into AnaMaria's.  "I wish I could be more like you, AnaMaria.  You stand up to people without a second thought.  You are not afraid of what people think of you."

            "A pirate's life is not so simple, Ash.  Sure, it may seem like we have it easy, a simple life of raiding and pillaging, and of course the occasional battle with the Royal Navy, but we have our hardships as well.  Granted, it is not so difficult since I follow one of the best pirate captain's in the Caribbean, but we have our own faults."

            "But your life seems so free."

            "Aye, Ash, it may seem freer than yours, and in a way, it is.  But you will see what it is actually like as you work on this ship with Jack and his crew.  We are different than other pirates, Ash, but only because of what we've seen in our lives.  I think I've seen more in the last two years, then I'd seen in my entire lifetime."

            "Like what?" Ashleigh asked.  

            AnaMaria smiled.  "That's a story for another night, Ash, one that doesn't need to be spoken of right now."

            Ashleigh nodded.  "How do you know Will and Elizabeth?"

            AnaMaria laughed.  "That is all part of the story, mate.  I'm sure Jack will tell you about it eventually, for it is actually not my place to tell you," she paused.  "Elizabeth didn't tell you about it?"

            Ashleigh shook her head.  "No."

            "How odd."

            "Why?  Why is it odd?"

            AnaMaria stood up quickly and placed her hand on Ashleigh's shoulder.  "A tale for another time, lass.  For now, you must get sleep."

            Ashleigh sat up quickly.  "But, wait, why. . ."

            AnaMaria shook her head.  "Another time.  Get some sleep, Jack'll want ya awake before dawn, there's work ta be done."

            Ashleigh sat back down on her cot, nodding slowly.  She sighed slightly as AnaMaria left her cabin, shutting the wooden door behind her.

            Elizabeth sat next to the small cot that Will occupied in the doctor's hut.  Captain Templeton had kept her word and delivered them to the doctor so that Will could get treated for the gun shot wound in his shoulder.  She leaned over him slightly, gently touching his chest.  "Oh God, Will.  Why did this happen to us?  We haven't seen Jack in almost two years.  Why would this all happen now?"

            "Because life sucks," Will answered weakly.  

            Elizabeth stared down at him.  She was worried about him.  His normally optimistic attitude had been replaced by a harsh, pessimistic one.  She worried that he would do himself harm by feeling like this.  "No, Will, it doesn't.  We still have each other.  We're still together.  We can't let them win.  As much as I find it odd saying this, but I believe Jack will save us.  He will find us."

            Will opened his eyes slowly. "You really believe that?"

            Elizabeth stroked Will's forehead slowly, her fingers tracing the lines on his skin.  "Yes, my love, I do."

The sun beat down cruelly on Ashleigh's neck, causing her skin to feel like it was burning.  She tightened the thick rope again and then stood up, wiping off her throat and face with the back of her grimy hand.  Her eyes glanced over the other men, and woman, on the deck of the ship, taking in the other pirates that were working.  She turned her attention to Jack as he stood at his helm, his eyes gazing out into the endless ocean, never actually looking down at his crew.

Ashleigh glanced over at AnaMaria and jerked her head up at her as she walked over to where the pirate stood.  "I'm going to get something to eat, I'll be right back."

"Make it quick, lass, more work needs ta be done."

Ashleigh nodded and then turned on her heel and started to walk quickly towards the galley.

Ashleigh sat at the small, wooden table, eating a small bit of fish and drinking a small glass of warm water.  She had her head lowered, her hat sitting on the table next to her.  A plate was set down on the table as another form sat down in front of her in the other seat.  She didn't raise her head, just sat and ate her food quickly so that she could resume her chores.

"Yer gonna have ta look up eventually, lass," a male voice said.

Ashleigh's head jerked up at the voice to find Jack sitting in front of her.  "Oh, um, Captain, good afternoon."

Jack's eyebrows rose.  "Afternoon."

Ashleigh jumped to her feet quickly, scooting her chair back.  "I should be getting back to my work, Captain," she said, starting to move away from the table.

"Sit down, Ashleigh," he said.

Ashleigh stopped in her tracks as he said her name.  He had put so much authority into those three words that it had caused her to freeze her movements.  She looked down at him, her eyes wide.  She sat down slowly, her eyes never moving from Jack's form.  "I'm. . . I'm sorry, sir."

Jack looked up at her slowly.  "Fer what?"

Ashleigh opened her mouth to reply and then closed it as she found that she had no answer.  She lowered her head again, looking down at her hands that lay on the tabletop.  "I don't know."

"Then what were you apologizin' for?"

"I. . . I don't know."

"If you don't know what yer apologizin' for, you shouldn't do it," he replied, a crazy grin spreading on his face.

She looked up at him and then looked back down.  "Um, about last night?"

Jack took a bite of his food, his eyes gazing at her lowered head.  "What about it?"

"I'm, um, I'm sorry.  I didn't expect things to happen that way."

Jack's eyebrows rose again as he slowly chewed his lunch.  "So you meant to stay?"

Ashleigh looked up sharply.  "No. . . I. . . I meant I didn't expect. . ."

Jack held up a hand, laughing.  "I know what ya meant, love, I was just teasin' ya."

"Well, that wasn't very nice," she replied, anger starting to swell up and swatting his upraised hand.  How could he tease about something like that?  "I thought you were being serious."

Jack opened his mouth to say something but Ashleigh stopped him.  "But who was I kidding?  Jack Sparrow cannot be serious in any part of his life, not even when his friends are in danger," she replied angrily, getting up quickly and starting to walk out of the galley up to the deck.  

Jack jumped up quickly from the table, grabbing hold of her wrist and pushing her up against the wall of the room, pressing up against her to hold her in place.  "If you wish to see me serious, then pay attention to me now, lass.  I take the condition that my friends are in very seriously.  I have thought of nothing but their safety since I have found out about their situation.  I have never taken anything else more serious in my life, save for the commandeering of my ship and the mutiny of my crew," he said, pushing his face close to hers, his eyes blazing with unspoken, mild anger.

Ashleigh leaned her head back as far as she could with the wall behind her head.  "You have yet to say anything serious about the present.  You were serious about your past, Captain, but about nothing taking place in the present."

"You know nothing, love," he hissed, "of anything I talk about save for perhaps your friends.  You know nothing of what I have been through or have had to deal with.  So you can say nothing about how serious I can or cannot be."

Ashley was silent as she stared up into his blazing eyes.  She could see controlled anger in them.  Never before had she seen such anger in one person, not even in her father who could frighten away men with but a glare.  Nor had she seen so much anger directed at one person, least of all directed at her.  "Let me go, Captain."

"Not until you understand one thing, lass.  You do not speak of my past, or of how I deal with things taking place. . ."

His words were cut off as a pair of soft lips was placed against his.  His grip on Ashleigh's wrist lightened as the shock of the kiss wore off.  She broke away slightly moments later, keeping her mouth close to his.  "You always seem to push me against a wall, Captain," she whispered, and then pressed her lips to his again.

AN:  Up next, Chapter 7: Emotions.  

Plz r/r!!!!!!


	7. Emotions

AN: Okay, before I let you read any further, I must let you in on a little secret.  I accidentally forgot to put a scene in one of the earlier chapters.  You see, in the second chapter, I had made mention of Ashleigh's brother and father.  Now, there was supposed to be a scene in a chapter where her brother meets with Norrington and they talk about the attack on the Port and the kidnappings, and Norrington tells him that Ashleigh was one of the ones that were taken.  But, for some reason, I completely forgot to put it in there!  I feel like such a moron, but I wanted to let all of you know about it so that when I make mention of her brother again, it won't confuse you!  I am so sorry!

Ashes to Ashes

Chapter 7: Emotions 

Ashleigh's skin felt on fire as she continued to kiss Jack.  Her hands tangled themselves in his hair, wrapping around the few strands of beads that he wore.  Jack's fingers entwined themselves in hers, holding them down near their legs.  His other hand reached blindly up to pull off the large, red bandana, unleashing her wild hair, allowing the soft strands to fall around their shoulders.

Ashleigh laughed softly as the ends brushed against her cheeks.  Against every sense in her body, she pulled away slowly, brushing his lips with hers one more time before lowering her head slightly.  Jack leaned his forehead against hers, his breath brushing against her skin.  "Why. . ?" he started.

"I have been asking myself the same question, Captain," she replied, releasing a strand of his long hair, "and the only answer that comes back is that it needed to be done before I exploded."

Jack pulled away slightly, leaning back to look in her eyes.  "What do you mean?"

_Give him the truth,_ a small voice told her.  _Tell him how you feel._

_Don't be a fool,_ another, louder, voice answered.  _You are a lady, he is a pirate.  Lie to him.  He does not deserve you.  You don't need to get involved with someone like him._

"I meant that I have never been kissed before," Ashleigh lied, her heart wrenching at her words.  "I thought that I. . ."

Jack pushed away from her before she could finish her words.  He leaned down slightly, picking up his hat from where it sat on the table and walked quietly out of the galley, leaving Ashleigh to stare after him.

Later that night, Ashleigh sat on the small cot in her room, staring out the small porthole in the side of the ship.  The moon shone down on the water, its rays causing the ocean to look ghostly.  Sighing, she threw her legs over the side of the cot and stood up, making her way over to the wooden door.

She opened the door quietly, careful not to make any noise lest she wake up any of the other pirates that slept on the ship.  She walked out of her room and made her way up onto the dark deck, the moonlight casting shadows over the ship.  She looked up slowly at the helm, her head leaning to one side slightly.  She walked up the few stairs to stand beside the wheel.

Her hands roamed over the handles of the wheel, her fingers lazily tracing the rounded ends.  Her eyes gazed out at the endless ocean, the soft waves brushing up against the still ship.  She realized now why Jack was so fond of this spot.  This one spot that stared out over the whole ship, the whole ocean, seemingly the whole world.              

Ashleigh's mind wandered to the events that had transpired hours earlier.  The words that she had said still left a bad taste in her mouth.  Her heart still pounded with pain.  She ached to heal the wounds that she created, although she figured that she had injured herself more than she had him.

She sighed, closing her eyes and letting the cool breeze brush her face.  Her fingers left the handles as she stepped back from the helm, walking slowly back down the stairs to the top deck, and then back down the short hallway to her room.

Her hand reached for the knob to her door, ready to open it when her eyes caught sight of the door that led to the captain's quarters.  Ashleigh withdrew her hand slowly, and, taking a deep breath, made her way down the hallway, stopping once she reached the large, ornate door.  She raised her hand, quickly knocking on the door before she could have second thoughts.

Ashleigh stood waiting, her breath held so that she made no sound.  Minutes later the door opened to reveal a fully awake Jack, barefoot and shirtless.  Her eyes roamed quickly over his bare flesh, taking in the two bullet scars, and the one slight scar in the middle of his chest.

Her gaze made its way up to meet his eyes, eyes that held no emotion, adding to the cold mask that he wore on his face.  "Jack, um, sorry, Captain, I-we-, um, we need to talk," she said, flustered.

Jack stared down at her for a moment, his cold eyes gazing into hers.  Then, he stepped aside slowly, opening the door a little wider, allowing her to enter.

Elizabeth was jolted awake by a soft hiss of pain.  She opened her eyes quickly, turning her attention to the dark bed.  Will sat on the edge of the bed, one hand clutching his bandaged shoulder.  "Will," she whispered, sitting next to him on the bed, her arm wrapping around his waist.  "You're not supposed to be up.  You must rest."

"I'm tired of resting, Elizabeth.  We must get out of here.  We need to escape before Templeton gets a hold of Jack."

Elizabeth kissed him lightly on the cheek, her fingers running through his short hair.  "Jack can take care of himself, Will.  All you need to focus on is getting better.  You would not be able to do much with that shoulder, you would be more of a hindrance than a help."

"I can't sit here forever Elizabeth, I have to do something."

"And you will, I promise, but for now you must rest."

"I cannot just stand by and. . ."

Elizabeth jumped to her feet quickly, her eyes blazing with anger.  "Damn it Will!  Stop being so stubborn!  Can't you do at least one thing that you are told!" she yelled.  "Why can't you ever just sit back and wait like everybody else does?  Ashleigh would have found Jack by now and are on their way to find us.  Why can't you ever just trust in your friends, in Jack?"

Will stared up at her speechless.  Elizabeth had never yelled at him, never once had she been angry at him and shown it.  He had never seen her angry, save for perhaps when she fought with him against the cursed pirates.  "Elizabeth," he said softly, "calm down, I'm sorry.  I just feel so useless.  I couldn't protect you in Port Royal and I can't protect you now."

Elizabeth sat back down, laying her head on his one, good shoulder.  "Don't think like that Will, you do protect me.  Even if you do not think so, you do.  In fact, you are protecting me now.  You are protecting what little sanity I have left," she paused, one hand grabbing hold of his own, cold hand.  "God, Will, I think I'm turning into Jack."

Will laughed softly until a slight twinge echoed in his shoulder.  Suddenly, the door to their little room swung open, revealing Templeton.  "Having a lovers quarrel, are we?" she asked, a slight smirk crossing her face.

"Nothing that would concern you," Will replied, his brown eyes glinting in the candlelight.

Templeton smirked again as she closed the door after entering the room.  She sat down slowly on the floor, leaning against the thin wall, pressing the small bottle of rum against her lips and taking a quick swig from it.  "Yer lucky ta be alive, mate," she said.  "Markson usually doesn't miss."

Will said nothing to her, merely stared down into her dark eyes.

"Is there something you needed, Captain Templeton?" Elizabeth asked, her fingers clutching Will's even tighter than before.

Templeton smiled slightly.  "Heard some arguing, thought I would come see what it was about," she said, shrugging.  "Figured I couldn't let you kill each other before my plan is complete."

Elizabeth shook her head slowly, saying nothing.  She turned her face away slightly and burying her face in his shirt.  Templeton tilted her head slightly, staring up at them.  "Do you trust him?" 

Elizabeth looked down at her.  "What do you mean?"

"Do you trust him with your life?  Do you trust him enough to place your life in his hands?" Templeton asked, her voice turning cold.

"Of course," Elizabeth replied without hesitation.  "I trust him with every part of me."

Templeton rolled her eyes.  "Except for that tiny part of you that didn't trust him enough to. . ."

"I trust him with my life, Captain," Elizabeth interjected.  "I trust him enough to protect me in any situation."

"What if you didn't?  Would you still stay next to him?"

Elizabeth looked down at Templeton, her eyes gazing into the woman across from her.  "Of course," she whispered.

"Then you are even more of a fool than I thought," Templeton said, rising to her feet.  "Love gets you nowhere, my dear.  It gets you hurt and perhaps killed.  Maybe you should think of it like that."

Will stared up at her as she left the room, shutting the door behind her.  "Is what you said true?" he asked.

"What do you mean?"

"When she asked you if you trusted me, did you tell the truth?" he asked again, looking off into the shadows.

Elizabeth's brow furrowed slightly.  "Of course I did.  Why would you ever think otherwise?"

Will shook his head slowly, remaining silent, refusing to answer her.

Ashleigh sat quietly on the chair behind the large oak desk in Jack's quarters.  Jack sat silently on his bed, his long hair hanging about his shoulders.  His kept his eyes averted, refusing to look up at her.

After several minutes of complete silence, he looked up at her.  "You said you wanted ta talk lass, so talk."

Ashleigh jumped at his voice, not expecting him to break the silence.  "I'm sorry, I just. . ."

"Just what, lass?"

"I wanted to explain to you. . ."

Jack held up his hand.  "You don't need to explain anything, lass.  I know what yer gonna say."

"No Jack, you don't.  What do you expect me to say?  Do you want me to say that you are not worthy of me?  Do you want me to say that whatever happened between us meant nothing?"

"You already explained that, love," Jack said, his brown eyes growing dark.  "Don't you remember?"

Ashleigh looked away.  "Of course I do," she said quietly.  "And you believed it."

"Uh huh," Jack replied.  "That makes no sense love."

"Do you believe everything that a woman says, Jack?"

"When it normally comes with a slap in the face, yes I do."

Ashleigh stood up slowly, brushing imaginary dust off of the breeches that she wore.  "I see.  Well, then, good-night Captain, I hope you sleep well."

She made her way to the large, wooden door, her fingers reaching for the small, brass, knob.  Her fingers wrapped around the knob and she twisted it slowly, opening the door to the dark hallway.  A hand slammed against the door, shutting it before she could exit the room.  A calloused hand wrapped around her left arm, pulling her around roughly and pushing her up against the wood.

Her green eyes flashed in the candlelight before Jack pressed his lips to hers.  He pulled away slightly, his cheek brushing against hers, his mouth hovering near her ear.  "Trust me, I will."

AN:  Up next, Chapter 8: Revealing Lies.  

**Seaspray:**  Yes, I know that it had been awhile since I last updated, but I am updating now, so I expect that 100 word long review!  JK! ;P  I hope you like it!


	8. Revealing Lies

AN:  Okay, so I hope that all of you like this chapter.  I had some misgivings about it, something's I wasn't entirely sure about.  But, I would appreciate it if you would offer me feedback about what you thought about it, even if you didn't like it and it was the worst chapter in the history of this story!  So, please, read on. . . 

Ashes to Ashes

Chapter 8: Revealing Lies 

Elizabeth woke slowly to find an arm wrapped lazily around her waist and a head lying lightly on her right shoulder.  She tilted her head slightly to look over at the sleeping face of Will, his eyes closed to the dark room.

She almost wished for him to stay sleeping.  This was the time when he was still her old Will, her positive, loving Will.  Lately he seemed to be so angry, hating the world and everything in it.  Elizabeth supposed that he was angry mostly at himself for being "unable to protect her", as he had put it.

Elizabeth kissed his forehead lightly, closing her eyes for a moment.  Will sighed softly, tilting his head further onto her shoulder.  "I love you Will," she whispered against his skin.  "Don't worry.  Jack will find us.  Ashleigh has found him, I know she has," she said, pulling him closer against her, careful of his slowly healing shoulder.

* * * * * * *

Jack buried his hand amongst her dark, wild hair, pulling her closer to him.  His lips pressed against hers roughly.  Ashleigh felt her face become flushed, and she knew she was blushing.  This had been the second time that they had kissed, although in this kiss Ashleigh could almost feel a type of hunger emanating from him.

Ashleigh's arms wrapped around his neck, acting on their own volition.  She could feel the same hunger rise in her as she kissed him back, pressing up against him slightly.  Jack's hands trailed down her sides, resting lightly on her waist, his fingers tightened on the loose, brown breeches that she wore.  He pulled her up against him roughly, their stomachs and hips meeting.

Jack stepped forward slightly, forcing her to step backwards, her back hitting the smooth, wooden door.  Ashleigh could feel as his hands pulled at the white shirt that she wore, attempting to un-tuck the fabric from the waistband of her breeches.  She sighed against his lips as his fingers trailed over her smooth skin.  His hands gripped her waist tightly, causing her to jump slightly as a small pain laced through her body.

Ashleigh broke away, pulling her head back.  "Jack?" she said breathlessly.  "Jack, what's going on?  What are we doing?"

"Shh," he said, brushing her lips with his again.  "Don't think.  Do what you feel."

Ashleigh gazed up into his dark eyes, a slight thrill running through her body as his fingers ran across her ribs.  She fought against her upbringing, fought against the voices inside her head.  The voices that screamed at her to escape from him, to run from him to the safety of her own, small cabin.

She closed her eyes, shaking her head slowly, trying to push her thoughts aside.  He had told her not to think, just to follow her feelings.  Ashleigh opened her eyes slowly, looking back up into his penetrating gaze.  She leaned up and kissed him again.

She moved her hands from his neck, running them down Jack's chest.  Ashleigh pushed up against him gently, slowly causing Jack to step backward.  They walked together, Jack holding onto the warm skin below her arms, until the back of his legs hit the bed.

Jack fell back, pulling Ashleigh with him, their lips still locked together.

            * * * * * * 

            Ashleigh woke with a start, an image playing over and over in her mind.  Vague pictures filtered through her sleep-hazed mind, pictures of things that she had done that made her blush.  The only problem was she couldn't figure out if it had been a dream, or reality.  A pain erupted in her body, causing her to double over slightly.  "Oh God," she whispered.

A rustling sound drew her attention to her right to the sleeping form of Jack.  His brown hair was splayed about his head, lying haphazardly on the large, white pillows.  The pain was forgotten for a moment as she stared down at him.

The silky sheets had been pushed down to his waist, revealing his long, tanned body.  They stopped right at his hips, spreading lightly across his skin.  The moonlight that shone through the large window above them danced over him, highlighting his closed, kohl-lined eyes.

Ashleigh lowered herself slowly to settle down next to him.  She placed her hand lightly on his skin.  Careful not to wake him, she scooted closer to him, placing her head on his chest.  She could hear his heart beat thudding in his chest, pounding out a sleepy rhythm.  She jumped slightly as he turned over in his sleep, her head sliding off his chest and his right arm snaking around her hips.

Ashleigh leaned into him slightly, her own arm wrapping around his waist.  She pushed back the voices that told her what she had done was wrong, that she wasn't married, let alone that he was a pirate.  She didn't care.  This was the first time in her entire life that she felt safe and cared for.

* * * * * * 

A pair of soft lips woke Elizabeth slowly.  She sighed and then opened her eyes to look up into the familiar brown eyes of Will.  "Good morning," he whispered.

Elizabeth smiled and stretched.  "Mm. . . Good morning."

"Did you sleep well?"

She yawned, covering her mouth with one small hand.  "Yes, thank you.  And you?"

"I had dreams," he whispered, tracing the lines of her face with a calloused finger.  "About you.  About us."

"Were they good dreams?" Elizabeth asked, worry creeping into her eyes.

"Some of them," Will replied and at the look in her eyes added quickly.  "Most of them."

"Are you alright?"

Will looked down at her, his eyes tracing her features.  "I am now."

Elizabeth smiled again.  For the first time in so many weeks, she could finally see her Will again.  His eyes contained a fragment of his former self, revealing to her what she had longed to see for so long, the man she loved.  "Your shoulder?"

"Less painful," he replied.  "Elizabeth, you said you trusted me, correct?"

"Of course."

"Then you trust me when I say that I will protect you, no matter what happens?"

"Even my sanity so that I do not turn out to be like Jack?" she said, grinning.

Will gave a soft laugh.  "Yes, even your sanity."

"Well, good then," she whispered, reaching up to catch his lips with hers.

* * * * * * 

Commodore Norrington walked briskly up to the helm of the _Silver Maiden_, his eyebrows furrowed slightly.  Sailors and officers were running back and forth on the deck, getting ready for a battle, or so it seemed to him.  Captain Michael O'Shannon stood at the wheel, peering through his golden spyglass.

"What is it?" Norrington asked.

"A ship on the horizon, sir," Michael replied without lowering the spyglass.

"What colors are they flying?"

"British, sir," Michael said, finally lowering the glass and handing it to Norrington.

Norrington turned around quickly, raising the glass to his own eye and looking through it to see the ship ahead of them.  A small smirk crossed his face as he caught sight of the ship.  "That is no British ship, Captain.  That is the _Black Pearl_."

* * * * * * 

A loud pounding jolted Jack from a deep sleep.  He opened his eyes quickly to gaze out of the window above him.  Dim light filtered through, suggesting to him that dawn was still a few minutes away.  He looked down again to find that Ashleigh's eyes were open and she was gazing up at him.  "Shh," he whispered.

The pounding on his door continued, followed by a loud voice, "Cap'n!  Cap'n yer needed on deck!"

Sighing, Jack disentangled himself from Ashleigh's warm body and slid out of bed.  He pulled on his dark grey breeches and walked quickly to the door, slipping his white shirt on as he walked.  He opened the door slightly, peering out at the grizzled face of Gibbs.  "What is it?"

"Sails comin' up on us, sir."

"What colors?"

Gibbs paused for a moment.  "British, sir."

"What colors are we flying?"

"British as well, sir."

"Meet me at the helm," Jack replied.  Gibbs nodded his acknowledgment and walked quickly away.

Jack turned his attention to the pale form that sat on the edge of his bed, quickly pulling on her clothes.  He sat next to her, pulling on his boots and then slipping on his vest, tying his sash and weapons belt over it.  Ashleigh stood up slowly, pushing her long, wild hair up into the red bandana that she normally wore.

She started to walk slowly to the cabin door when Jack grabbed her arm and pulled her to him.  He caught her lips with his, kissing her briefly before pulling away.  "Don't forget yer hat, love," he whispered and then walked past her to leave his cabin.

Ashleigh stared after him for a moment and then followed, stopping at her own, small cabin to retrieve her hat and sword belt, placing her dagger and sword swiftly into place and then headed up to the top deck to see where she could help.

* * * * * *

"Get ready the guns," Norrington stated.  "But do not fire until I give the word."

"You want us to come up alongside her sir?" Michael asked incredulously.  "Without firing a shot?"

"Yes," Norrington replied, staring out at the _Black Pearl_ as they were drawing close to it.

"But what if she fires first, sir?"

Norrington smirked.  "I know how her captain is.  He will not try to fight unless absolutely necessary."

"He sounds like a bit of a coward to me, sir."

"Seems like it, doesn't it?  But I assure you, Captain that he will do whatever is possible to protect his ship and his crew."

Michael looked over at him.  "I take it you have faced him before?"

"Once or twice Captain," Norrington answered crisply.  "But he will not escape again."

* * * * * *

Jack looked through his spyglass at the quickly approaching ship.  "It appears, Mr. Gibbs, that the British navy has finally built themselves a fast ship."

"What do you want us to do Cap'n?" AnaMaria asked, her hands gripping the large, wooden wheel.

"Unfurl all the sails," Jack said after a moment's hesitation.  "Catch as much of this blasted wind as you can.  Gibbs, load the cannons.  If we can't outrun them, then we'll fight until one of our ships is destroyed.  And mind you Gibbs, it had better be theirs."

"Aye, sir," Gibbs answered and ran down the dark steps, shouting orders to the men around him.

* * * * * * 

Ashleigh tightened the knot quickly and then leaned out over the edge of the ship, glancing back to see the other ship as it drew nearer.  Her heart leapt slightly as she caught sight of the ship that she herself had sailed on when she was going to Port Royal.  "Oh dear Lord," she whispered.

* * * * * *

"They're in firing range sir!"

Michael looked over at Norrington as his Lieutenant called up to him.  "Do you want us to hold off, sir?"

"Yes, I do, Captain.  As I have told you before."

"Stand at the ready Lieutenant Ross.  Do not fire until I give my word!"

Some of the men glanced at each other, silently questioning their captain's sanity.  They had heard the tales of the_ Black Pearl_, the destruction that she caused at every port she visited.  "But Captain. . ."

"I said to hold off until I give my word Lieutenant," Michael said harshly.  "We do not fight unless necessary."

* * * * * * 

"Why aren't they firing?" Jack asked himself, rubbing his chin lightly.  He raised his spyglass to eye level and gazed out at the other ship.  Jack smirked as he caught sight of a familiar face standing amongst the crowd of sailors.  "Ah, I see.  So you would like to play it this way, eh, Commodore?  Then so be it, we'll play your game."

Jack turned around quickly, walking to the rail at the edge of the helm.  "Stand down me!" he yelled.  "Do not fire unless provoked!  Give them no reason to act in self defense!  We'll play by their rules!"

His men stared up at him, confused, and then at each other.  Ashleigh let out the breath that she had been holding, glancing up as Jack turned to AnaMaria.

"Captain, what're we doin'?"

"Having a little bit of fun, my dear, having a little bit of fun."

* * * * * * 

Norrington stood at the edge of the helm, Michael standing just behind him.  He had noticed mere minutes before, that the _Black Pearl_ had been slowing down.  To let them catch up, he supposed.  "Lower the anchor, Captain, take us to a stand still."

"Aye, sir," Michael replied, and then shouted at his men that stood on the deck.  "What is she doing sir?"

"Apparently he had noticed what we are doing and has decided to follow our lead.  Bring her up alongside him, Captain, we will wait to see what he will do."

* * * * * * 

"Lower the anchor; hold us steady in the water, men!" Jack called to his crew.  He watched as the men lowered the anchor into the water.  He could feel the slight shudder as the anchor caught hold of something on the ocean floor and pulled them to a halt.  The men standing in the rigging pulled up the sails and tied them to the masts.

Jack looked over his shoulder as the other ship closed in.  He watched as they lowered their anchor and saw the thick chain go taut as the anchor grabbed hold of the ocean floor and pulled them to a stop almost parallel from the _Pearl_.  His grin widened as his eyes gazed across the space between the ships and looked into Norrington's eyes.

Norrington stood just to Jack's left at the helm on the British ship.  His stiff posture told Jack that he had not changed in the past two years.  "Good morning Commodore!" Jack called, giving a little salute.  "And what can I do for you this fine day?"

Norrington glared over at him, crossing his hands behind his back.  "You can surrender, Mr. Sparrow."

Jack laughed, and then leaned against the railing.  "_Captain_ Jack Sparrow never surrenders, mate.  You should know that by now."

Norrington's eyes narrowed slightly.  "I see.  There was an attack on Port Royal several weeks ago.  Miss Swann and Mr. Turner were both taken."

"Uh huh.  So?"

Norrington's eyes narrowed further.  "I thought you considered them your friends?"

Jack shrugged.  "They saved me from the noose and helped me get the _Pearl_ back, which hardly qualifies them as friends."

Norrington started to call something over, but stopped, shaking his head.  "May we come aboard, Mr. Sparrow?"

Jack drew back slightly, staring over at him.  He shrugged again, waving a hand in their direction.  "Fine.  But only you three," he replied.

* * * * * * 

Norrington, Michael and Lieutenant Ross stood quietly on the deck of the _Black Pearl_, surrounded loosely on all sides by Jack and his crew.  Ashleigh, AnaMaria and Gibbs stood just behind Jack, Ashleigh lowering her head to keep her face hidden.

Michael stared around at the faces of the leering pirates surrounding him.  Compared to the other pirates that he had faced, these seemed almost normal and slightly civilized.  He continued to look them in their eyes until he came to the only pirate that held his head down, averting his eyes from the navy officers.  He tilted his head slightly and narrowed his eyes, frowning.  He seemed somewhat familiar.

He caught sight of a familiar jaw line, one much like his own although much more feminine, and a few tendrils of long black hair.  The pirate looked up slightly from underneath his large hat and Michael took in the familiar green eyes.

"Mr. Sparrow, I. . ." Norrington started.

"Ashleigh?" Michael interrupted, causing the pirate to look up sharply.  "Dear God it is you!  What the hell do you think you are doing?"

* * * * * *

AN:  Up next, Chapter 9: .  

**Dawnie-7:  **Thank you so much!  I greatly appreciate it!  Although, if I may ask, why do you think that chapter 7 is my best chapter so far?  I ask merely out of curiosity because I liked it as well and I wondered what you thought was the best part.  

**Pink Phoenix:**  Thank you!  I'm glad you liked it!

**Elentari II:  **I'm sorry!  I just love to write cliffhangers!  I'm notorious for them!  They make life so much more interesting!  But, I hope this update is quick enough, I've written it every chance that I got!


	9. Truths Be Told

AN:  Oh, I am so sorry that I haven't updated in so long, but I've been so busy with school.  I had to write two speeches, a short story for creative writing and a paper for art appreciation!  Oh, my poor imagination!  And then, in creative writing, hardly anyone said anything good about my story (which will be posted on ff.net seeing as it has to do with Jack, but I can't post it until I post the third part to Sui Generis because it involves those characters as well).  All they did was pick at it about everything that didn't seem "right" to them.  For starters, it had to do with a female pirate.  Oh, ugh.  Anyway, enough complaining, and on with the chapter.

Ashes to Ashes

Chapter 9: Truths Be Told 

Ashleigh sat in Jack's cabin, her hands clenched tightly together in her lap.  She watched as Michael, her brother, paced back and forth in front of her.  He would pause in his strides every once in awhile to look down at her, a look of anger and concern flickering across his face.

Once he had discovered who she was, he had requested, or rather demanded, that they have a few minutes alone to talk.  Jack, under the watchful glare of Norrington, had readily agreed, telling them that they could use his cabin.

"Oh for Gods sake, Michael!  Would you please stop pacing?  You're driving me crazy!"

Michael stopped suddenly at her words, his eyes widening slightly.  "I do not even know where to begin Ashleigh.  You have had me worried half to death that you had been killed by pirates.  And now, I find you dressed as a pirate and working with a pirate crew."

"It was all I could do.  I had made a promise to Will to find someone for him."

"And instead you joined a pirate crew?"

Ashleigh sighed, exasperated.  "The man I was told to find was a pirate.  _The _pirate in fact.  It was the best I could do to help Elizabeth and Will."

"You could have stayed in Port Royal.  Why didn't you just leave the search to Commodore Norrington?"

Ashleigh jumped to her feet, anger entering her voice.  "I was not going to stand idly by and wait for my friends return!" she shouted.  "I was not going to just stand back and do nothing!  How was I to know if Norrington would find them?"

"And yet you would willingly commit acts of piracy?  What would father say if he saw you now?" Michael asked, his green eyes staring into hers.

Ashleigh's eyes narrowed.  "I don't care, Michael.  I am doing what I believe is right."

"And what of your reputation?"

She flinched slightly.  "My reputation?"

"Yes, or maybe our family's reputation.  If people receive word that you spent weeks on a pirate ship they will start to say that your innocence has been stolen."

Ashleigh looked away, not bothering to reply to his statement.  Reading her expression, Michael's eyes widened.  "Dear Lord.  You haven't. . ." he paused, swallowing hard, "given yourself to one of them, have you?"

"Of course not Michael!  You know I would never do something like that," she lied, staring up into his eyes once again.

Michael looked away, sighing.  "After everything that has happened, I am not so sure."

"You are the one who taught me to fight, Michael, as well as allowed me to have as much of a free spirit as I could.  If you wish to be angry at me, then be angry at yourself as well."

Before Michael could reply, a loud knocking interrupted their conversation, followed seconds later by the door being thrown open and Jack stepping quickly in the room.  Michael glared at him because of the rude interruption.  Jack didn't seem to notice.

"Could you two please keep it down?  Yer botherin' me crew," he asked, sighing dramatically.

Michael didn't bother to reply, but Ashleigh stared up into Jack's dancing eyes.  "Of course, Captain Sparrow," she said softly.

Jack shot her a confused look and then flicked his eyes back to Michael.  "Oh, yes, and could you please kindly inform your lieutenant that if he does not stop interfering with me running my ship, I will be forced to shoot him," he said, grinning.

Pounding footsteps sounded behind them, causing all three of them to stare out of the cabin doorway.  Lieutenant Ross came into the room, breathing hard.  "I am sorry Captain, I tried to keep him away to allow you some time, but he got away from me."

"Got away from you?" Jack asked incredulously.  "It's me own bloody ship!"

"If you would like, I can escort him. . ."

"You will escort me nowhere, boy," Jack replied, closing the distance between them and leaning in close to Ross' face.  "You may want to get yer head out of yer ass, lad, and take a look around you to where you are."

Ashleigh stifled a gasp of laughter.  Michael looked down at her, and then up at Jack.  "If you would please watch your language in front of a lady, Captain Sparrow."

Jack's eyes narrowed as he stepped back.  "I'm sorry," he said, looking the lieutenant up and down, "I didn't know."

Ashleigh stifled another laugh.  She had never really liked Lieutenant Ross.  He reminded her very much of every other pompous man, too stuck on himself to realize that very few people actually liked him.

Ross' face turned red at Jack's words, but before he could reply, Michael spoke.  "I meant my sister, Captain Sparrow."

"Ah, I see," he replied, turning his laughing gaze to Ashleigh.  He bowed slightly, his hands flailing about his face.  "I beg your forgiveness, my lady."

Ashleigh's eyes narrowed.  The way he had said 'my lady' held a type of shock.  She knew she had never told him who she really was, besides that her real name was Ashleigh and not Ash.  "Jack, don't," she whispered.

As if he heard her, he looked up at her from his mock bow, his dark eyes meeting hers.  A look entered his eyes, a look telling her that they _would_ talk about this later.  She nodded slowly, her stomach sinking with dread.

"So tell me lass," he said, straightening up, "who are you?"

Ashleigh straightened her baggy, tucked in shirt.  "I am Ashleigh O'Shannon, daughter to Lord Robert O'Shannon of London, England," she replied, resisting the temptation to curtsy as she had always been taught.

"An' 'e's yer brother?"

"Yes.  He is Captain Michael O'Shannon of the _Silver Maiden_."

Jack looked over at him, his eyes looking him up and down.  His hips swaying with the movement of his ship, Jack walked over to his desk and sat down, propping his feet up on the wooden desk.  Michael stared over at him, hatred in his eyes.

Jack's eyebrows rose slightly as he grinned.  "Please, carry on.  No need ta stop on my account."

"I would prefer this to be a private conversation, Captain."

Jack merely shrugged, picking up a small, red apple off of his desk.  "Then pretend I'm not 'ere mate," he held up his hands, the apple still clenched in his right hand.  "Won't say a word.  Promise."

Michael sighed, rolling his eyes.  He ran his hands through his short, blond hair, saying, "We will finish our talk later, Ashleigh.  Now, if you will excuse me Captain, I will take my leave of you and your ship," he paused, looking over at his sister.  "Come, Ashleigh, there is no need for you to be on this ship any longer."

Ashleigh opened her mouth to reply but stopped, lowering her head slightly.  Her eyes flicked over to Jack who sat, munching on the apple.  He was watching them with interest, a look of mild surprise entering his eyes.  Ashleigh started to follow Michael out of the cabin when Jack spoke up.  "You will stay here, love."

Ashleigh stopped in her tracks, turning around quickly, her long black hair flying.  Michael turned as well, a look of anger entering his eyes.  "I beg your pardon?"

Jack's eyebrows rose again.  "She 'as been part of my crew fer awhile now, mate.  It'd be a shame ta pull 'er out now."

"You do not have control over her, sir.  You are not her family."

"No," Jack replied, standing up, "but I am her captain."

"She is not a pirate, Mr. Sparrow," Michael said angrily.  "You have no hold on her."

"She may not have the blood of a pirate, Captain O'Shannon," Jack answered, his voice low and even, "but she has the heart of one."

"She will come with me, sir.  You cannot stop me."

Jack walked calmly up to the taller man, looking up into his blazing eyes.  "Look where you are, Captain.  You are on a pirate ship, full of pirates and vastly outnumbered.  Your ship would not survive long should I choose to attack it.  Do not tempt me, Captain O'Shannon."

"Do you believe I am afraid of you, pirate?  I have faced fiercer men than you."

Jack opened his mouth to answer when Ashleigh, who had been looking back and forth between them as they argued, stepped between them, pushing them apart.  "Would you two just stop arguing?  No matter what time we are living in, I believe it to be my choice as to where I would like to stay," Michael opened his mouth to reply, but she glared up at him, silencing him.  "No, Michael, do not say a word, I do not want to hear it.  I am sick and tired of men trying to rule my life.  I am a grown woman; I think I can take care of myself.  I do not need you to try and protect me."

Jack smirked over at the man across from him, laughter gleaming in his eyes.  "And you Captain Sparrow," she said angrily, turning her attention to him, "do not even think that you do not fit on that list.  Yes, I forced you to allow me on your ship, and I forced you to rescue Will and Elizabeth, but that does not give you the right to come to my aid when someone is ordering me to do their bidding.  You did the same to me as a crew member on your ship."

Jack stepped back slightly from her angry gaze.  He tilted his head to the side, staring over at her.  "Well, then, Miss O'Shannon, where would you like to stay?"

* * * * * *

AN:  Up next, Chapter 10: Rescues, Or. . . 

Next we'll see where Ashleigh decides to stay.  Will she stay with Jack, who she has recently begun to care about?  Or will she go with her brother who wishes only to return her to her home?  Also, will they finally find Will and Elizabeth?  Or will something go terribly wrong?  Stay tuned, or else you'll never find out!  Bwahahahahaha!  

**Dawnie-7:  **  I think the reason why I wasn't sure about it was because I wasn't sure if Jack and Ashleigh had moved to fast, but I couldn't tell.  I'm glad you liked it though.

**Elentari II:  **I'm very sorry to hear that.  I don't know what I would do if I had been banned for so long.  I'd probably go crazy.  I'm updating now!  I'm sorry and I hope you're not going to get in trouble for reading this!

**CaptainCatalina:**  I'm sorry!  Here's the update!

**Cap'n Raven:  **Thank you!

**NazgulGirl:**  Please don't let them get me!  I promise to update quicker!


	10. Rescues, Or

AN:  Ah ha!  It didn't take me nearly as long as it normally does for me to update!  Yay!  I'm so happy!  Anyway, I hope you like it.  The only other bit of news would be that Secret Window rocks!!!!!!!!!

Ashes to Ashes

Chapter 10: Rescues, Or. . . 

Will stood silently in front of the wooden door that sat in front of him.  He had already tried the handle, and found that it was locked.  But what else could he have expected?  The only window that was in the room proved to be no help as well.  They had discovered that the room that they were being held in was two stories above the ground, too high for an injured man and woman to jump from.

He sighed slightly, his fingers reaching out and touching the hinges on the door.  Without something to pry the hinge open, he wouldn't be able to break the door off.  Alexi Templeton had put them somewhere where there was no chance of them getting out.

"Anything?" Elizabeth asked.

"No.  I can't use this.  There's no way we can get out this way."

"Then I guess we will just have to wait for Jack to save us."

"Or we can attack the next person to come in here."

"They would kill us before we got the chance, Will.  We'll just have to wait."

"I guess we will," Will replied, resigning himself to that fact.

* * * * * *

Ashleigh stared at Jack, and then at Michael, her eyes tracing both of their faces and the expressions evident on them.  Both men waited impatiently for her answer.  Both men waited for her to say that she would stay with them.  For a moment, Ashleigh's heart was torn two ways.

One side told her that she had a duty to her family, that she should do as her brother, the second prominent male figure in her home, told her.  The other half told her to stay with her captain, a man that had shown her kindness when she needed it.  A man who, somehow, she had grown to care about.  Her heart ached for a moment until she turned her gaze to meet Jack's.

His gaze held the promise of adventure, the promise of a life lived on risk and passion alone.  Her brother's gaze she knew, even without looking, held a life lived in the captivity of her home where she knew she would be forced to stay until her father found her someone suitable to marry.  A place where she would never be able to be herself.  She knew she would never be able to accept that, not after feeling the adventure and the touch of a pirate.

"I cannot go back home now, Michael," she said softly.  "I have come all this way and I need to see this through."

Michael's back grew rigid as he stared down at her for a moment and then turned his heated gaze to Jack.  Jack stared back at him, his gaze meeting Michael's unflinchingly.  "Then there is only one thing left to do."

"Get off me ship?" Jack asked, raising his eyebrows slightly.

"No," Michael answered, smirking.  "I will stay with my sister to make sure that her innocence stays intact."

Jack opened his mouth to say something that Ashleigh was sure she would regret later when she stopped him, turning her back on her brother.  "That should be fine, should it not Captain?  Elizabeth knows my brother, and it will be good for her to see another familiar face besides my own."

Jack's brow furrowed slightly until her realized that her brother probably did not know that Will and Elizabeth knew him.  He stared down at her for a moment, his eyes trailing down her cheeks, past her thin, pale neck, to the place right between the two open flaps of her shirt.  His eyes hesitated there for a moment as he imagined running his fingers over her smooth skin again as he had done the night before, and then met her gaze again.  "Aye, love, it should be."

"Very good then.  I shall inform the Commodore at once," Michael replied, turning on his heel and walking out of the cabin, closing the door behind him.

Ashleigh let out the breath that she had been holding and then turned to follow her brother.  Jack stopped her when she had made it half-way, touching her briefly on the hip.  Her eyes closed for a moment as the thought of his hands touching her bare skin again sent a thrill through her body.  Goosebumps ran across her skin as she felt him lean into her, his warm breath hitting her cheek.

"And what do I get out of this whole arrangement, eh, love?" he whispered.

Ashleigh found it almost too hard to talk as Jack's fingers found their way to the rim of her breeches.  She knew he was doing this on purpose, knew what he was trying to get from her.  But she also knew that she couldn't give into him, not if she wanted him to live.  

"Jack," she whispered, trying to tell her body to move away from him, but with little success.  "You know we can't. . . do anything now.  If my brother finds out, he'll kill you."

"To a well-organized mind, death is the next great adventure," he replied, kissing her lightly on the ear.

His fingers worked magic on her skin as usual, digging into the flesh of her abdomen.  Without thinking, Ashleigh turned quickly in his arms, catching his lips with hers.  Her body pressed up against his, their hips meeting.  Her hands wrapped around his neck, entangling themselves in his long, unruly hair.

Jack's arms wrapped tightly around her waist, making sure that she couldn't escape from him again.  He walked forward slowly, causing her to step back.  Her back slammed into the thick wood of the door, her head snapping back.  Jack's fingers fumbled for a moment until finally throwing a small latch on the door.

He pulled at her quickly, leading her toward the bed.  "Jack," she whispered, "Jack, my brother. . ."

"Wha' 'bout 'im?" he muttered against her neck.

"If he finds us. . ."

"Door's locked, love."

"But he'll start to wonder. . ."

Jack claimed her lips again, pushing her down onto the bed, and followed her down, refusing to let go of her lips.  His hands instantly found her waist. . .

A sudden loud banging filled the room, causing Jack to sit up.  "Bloody hell," he muttered.

"Jack Sparrow!" a loud feminine voice called out through the door.  "Sparrow get yer bloody ass out here!"

"AnaMaria," Ashleigh whispered, her eyes widening.

Jack stood up slowly, a frown adorning his tanned face.  He turned away quickly, making his way to the door.  He paused, his hand on the latch, and turned around; making sure that Ashleigh had had time to move.  His eyes caught hold of hers as she sat down in the chair at his desk.

With a sigh, he threw the latch and opened the door slowly, preparing himself for the worst.

"Are you bloody daft?" AnaMaria said, her dark eyes flashing.  "Allowing men like that ta stay on a pirate ship?  I think the rum 'as gone to yer 'ead!"

"S'only one, love."

"Only one?" AnaMaria cried, pushing him backward.  "And yet by allowing one officer to stay on the ship, you give the rest of the bloody navy permission as well."

"What do you mean?" Ashleigh asked quickly.

"Did you honestly believe that Norrington would allow one bloody officer to stay on a pirate ship alone?"

"Yer not sayin'. . ." Jack started.

"The Commodore isn't staying on as well?" Ashleigh finished.

AnaMaria looked at her as if she were crazy.  "No, but he's makin' that insufferable Ross stay on as well.  Along with a few of their marines.  For God's sake, Jack, did you not think of that?"

"I was hoping they would be daft to the issue," he replied quietly, his eyes narrowing.  "Well, we'll just have to make the best of the situation."

"And what would that be?"

"Well, we now have a few more men to fight Templeton's crew," Jack replied.  "I know of her crew.  They may not be as well known as mine, but they are still famous for their cruelty."

"Jack?" Ashleigh whispered.

Jack turned around quickly to see the frightened look on her face.  He knew instantly what she was worried about.  "Don't worry love.  She won't harm them.  She only wants me."

Ashleigh merely looked down; worry still lingering in her eyes.

* * * * * *

No one was quite sure how it had happened.  No one was quite sure how the events had taken place.  The only thing anyone really knew was that the switch had taken place quickly, in what seemed to be only a matter of seconds.

* * * * * *

It had taken Jack and his crew several days to make it to the favorite island of Alexi Templeton and her crew.  They had waited for two full nights until Jack was sure that his plan was perfect.

Norrington, despite any misgivings that he held, agreed to leave Michael and a few of his crew on the _Black Pearl_.  He had warned, though, that he would not be far away and if anything happened to any subjects to the crown, he would seek retribution.  Jack had merely smiled.

Despite their wishes, Jack had forced the marines to wear pirate attire, telling them that they would stand out like sore thumbs if they wore their uniforms and no one would give them information as to the whereabouts of Will and Elizabeth.  Michael agreed only when Ashleigh had asked him to.

They had departed from the _Black Pearl_, Gibbs and a few other pirates staying to keep watch.  It had taken several hours for them to find someone who could help them, or rather someone who was drunk enough to give them answers to their questions.

From that, they had discovered that Will and Elizabeth were being held in an inn located on the outskirts of town called the Black Pony.  Where in the inn, the drunk had no idea.  Jack had thanked the man by buying him another round of drinks, hoping to keep the man busy until they had finished their rescue mission.

Jack, Ashleigh, Michael, and AnaMaria had made their way to the outskirts of the town, hoping that none of Templeton's crew would see and recognize Jack.  Minutes later, they had reached the inn, none of them sure as to what they would find when they entered, not even sure as to how they would find where Will and Elizabeth were kept.

Once they had entered the inn, however, they found it to be empty save for a small group of people playing cards.  With little more than a glance at the inn keeper, they had made their way up the stairs to the second floor.  Jack had stopped abruptly, causing Michael to slam into his back, and then pointed down the hall toward the lone pirate standing outside of a room.

Telling them to remain where they were, Jack had walked casually down the hall, scanning each of the doors quickly, as if searching for the room he had rented.  Before the guard could recognize him, Jack slammed his fist into the man's stomach, and then as the man doubled over, he had forced the man's face to meet his knee.

AnaMaria was at his side moments later, helping him to lower the now unconscious man to the wooden floor with as little noise as possible.  Michael followed her, Ashleigh coming up after him.  Knowing that the door would be locked, Jack had searched the man for a key that would open the door.

He had glanced up at AnaMaria, shaking his head slowly.  Ashleigh had opened her mouth to ask what they would do when Jack slammed his shoulder into the wood, causing the door to splinter and burst open (AN:  Hey, I never said it was a strong door!).  Will and Elizabeth had ducked to avoid the small wooden chips that had flown at them.

Relief and excitement had entered their eyes as they had caught sight of the two pirates in the doorway.  They had walked quickly to Jack and AnaMaria, greeting them hurriedly.  Seconds later, a shrill cry had echoed in the hallway, causing Jack and the others to turn around.

The image that greeted their eyes was of Ashleigh held in Templeton's arms, a dagger pointed at her throat.

* * * * * *

"It looks like I caught myself a sparrow," Templeton said, a cruel smirk crossing her face.

Jack pushed his way to the front of the group, his eyes burning with anger and worry.  "Let 'er go, Templeton, it's me you want."

"Oh, in't this sweet.  Jack Sparrow actually risks his life for someone other than himself.  Do you actually worry about this lass here?  Did you actually worry about those two fools who call you their friend?  What would you do if I killed her now?" she asked, pressing the dagger's tip into Ashleigh's neck.

Ashleigh winced slightly as a thin trail of blood trickled down her throat.  The anger in Jack's eyes flashed again as he pulled out his pistol, aiming it directly at Templeton's head.  Templeton ducked behind Ashleigh, shielding herself with Ashleigh's body.

"Go ahead and shoot, Sparrow, but you'll have to shoot through the lass here."

Jack's thumb played over the hammer of his pistol, cocking it and un-cocking it, deciding what to do.  He longed to put a bullet through Templeton's brain, but he knew that he would never be able to sacrifice Ashleigh in the process.  And what was worse, Templeton seemed to know it as well.

Slowly, he dropped his arm, lowering the weapon to his side.  Templeton gave a cruel laugh.  "Yer growin' soft in yer old age, Sparrow," she said, backing up slowly.

"No, Ashleigh!" Michael called out, attempting to go after them.

Jack stopped him, his eyes following Templeton and Ashleigh as they walked slowly down the wooden stairs.  When he could hear the inn door open and close, Jack bolted down the hallway, anger still pounding in his veins.  He jumped the last few steps, hearing the pounding footsteps of the others following him.

He burst through the inn door, his sword un-sheathed.  Jack could see Templeton running down the darkened street, pulling Ashleigh along with her.  Templeton knew that Jack would never shoot someone in the back; therefore, she knew that she held the higher ground.  

Their footsteps pounded on the dirty ground, echoing in the emptying streets.  Jack's eyes continued to follow Templeton's progress as she wove her way through the dark buildings.  He could still hear the people behind him, could still hear their footsteps as they made their way through the maze of bars and inns, following Jack as he ran after his prey.

He watched as she ran through the few people still standing about, but still staying completely aware of his surroundings.  Suddenly, Templeton stopped, her feet mere inches away from the edge of a steep cliff.  She whirled around, once again pulling Ashleigh in front of her and holding the dagger at her throat.

"Don't come a step closer, Sparrow, or I will kill the girl.  I'm sure you would not want that," she called out, taking another step back toward the cliff.

Jack stopped in his tracks, his sword raised high.  He watched again as Templeton took another step, dragging Ashleigh along with her.  When her foot hit the edge of the cliff, Jack called out, "Let her go, Templeton!"

Templeton merely laughed, and then threw herself backward, falling back off of the cliff, still clutching Ashleigh tightly.  "No!" Jack cried, lunging at the falling forms of the women, the sword falling from his hand.  He landed roughly on the dirt ground, scratching the small bit of flesh that showed through his shirt.  His hand reached down into the empty air as if reaching out a hand to catch Ashleigh before she fell too far.  Instead, his eyes caught sight of them as they fell, Ashleigh's eyes staring up into his until she hit the crashing waves.

Hands grabbed hold of his shoulders, pulling him roughly to his feet.  He struggled to make his way back to the edge, wanting to see if somehow Ashleigh had survived her fall.  Instead, the hands held him tightly, keeping him from going near the edge.  "Easy, Captain," a voice said in his ear.

"Let me go AnaMaria!" he growled out.

"No, Captain, it's too late," AnaMaria said.  "She's gone." 

* * * * * *

AN:  Up next, Chapter 11: . . . Losses and Gains 

Is Ashleigh really gone?  Will Jack ever find out?  What will he do now that he has Will and Elizabeth back, but lost someone he had started to care about?    

**Dawnie-7:  **  Yeah.  I liked that part too.  Ashleigh should be able to stand up for herself.  Just because she lives in a world where men rule, doesn't mean she can't handle her own problems.

**NazgulGirl:**  Aww!  The bunnies sound so cute!  Can I have one?

**DaydreamBeliever14:  **Thank you!


	11. Losses and Gains

AN:  Hmmm . . . . this chapter didn't take as long as some of the others.  Although, I did have extreme writers block throughout the entire chapter.  But, hey, I hope you all enjoy it anyway.  

Ashes to Ashes

Chapter 11:  . . . Losses and Gains 

_'It's crazy, you know, this damn dance we call life'_, were her last thoughts before she hit water.  The crashing waves rushed over her, knocking the breath out of her lungs.  She exhaled sharply, little bubbles popping out of her mouth.  The salt water burned her eyes, causing her to close them immediately.

Strong arms wrapped around her waist as her consciousness slipped from her grasp.  Water filled her lungs as feet kicked behind her, pushing them upward to the surface.

* * * * * *

The punch landed squarely on his jaw, sending him into the chair behind him.  Jack looked up into the angry face of his attacker.  Michael O'Shannon glared down at him, angry tears hovering in his eyes.

"Pirate bastard," he growled, fighting against the restraining arms of Will and AnaMaria.  "You bastard!  I should kill you."

Jack stared back up at him, his deadened gaze boring into Michael.  "What good would it do ye, lad?"

"You lost me my sister!" Michael yelled, once again struggling against the arms holding him.  "She did not deserve this!  I should kill you!"

"Calm down, Captain O'Shannon," Will said, cringing when the wound in his shoulder was stretched.  "This will get you no where."

Michael lashed out at Will, his fist flying at the blacksmith.  Will backed away quickly to avoid being hit.  A gun cocking drew all of their attention away from the British captain.  The eyes fell on Jack who stood in front of them, his pistol out and aimed at Michael.  His hollow gaze flickered with anger.

"You can attack me, Captain, but do not try to attack my friends or my crew," he whispered.  "It was my fault Ashleigh was taken by Templeton. . ."

"Killed by her, you mean," Michael interrupted angrily.

"Templeton would not kill herself just to kill someone close to Jack, Captain," Elizabeth said softly.

"Yes, she would," Jack replied.  "If doing so would make me feel as much pain as she has felt over the last few years after the loss of Daveigh, then she wouldn't hesitate  to do so."

"She did not seem that insane, Jack," Will said.

"And neither do I," Jack replied, and then at the looks he received, "most of the time.  And no, Captain O'Shannon, I don't believe that Ashleigh is dead.  While I do believe that Templeton would go to any lengths to cause me pain, I think that she had some other plan in mind."

"Such as?" Michael asked, shrugging out of AnaMaria's grasp.

Jack un-cocked his pistol, letting his arm fall to his side.  "I am vaguely sure that Templeton's crew and ship were anchored nearby to rescue her if needed.  They are just as loyal to her as my crew is to me.  If she had died, they would have been after us by now."

"If you believer Ashleigh is alive, then why are we not going after them now?"

"Because Templeton would expect that and be ready to blow us out of the water before we are able to fire a single shot."

"You do not know that."

Jack nodded slightly, sitting back down in his chair.  "Yes, I do.  If you actually know half of what you claim to know about pirates, then you would know that she wouldn't hesitate to shoot us down in cold blood," he paused, running his hands over his face.  "Now, are you going to settle down and do as you're told, or am I going to have to lock you in the brig?"

* * * * * * 

soft hands touched her shoulders softly, shaking her gently.  _"You must wake up, Miss O'Shannon.  You must wake up.  I need you to tell her something for me.  Tell her to stop this hunt.  Tell her it's useless, that none of this will bring me back.  Please, Miss O'Shannon, tell her. . ."_

Ashleigh's eyes flitted open, the hazy image of a red-haired woman coming into view.  The moment she opened her eyes completely, though, the woman was gone, leaving nothing but a dark wooden ceiling.  She sat up slowly, her body pounding with pain.

"Good to see yer awake, lass," a rough voice said.

Ashleigh looked up to see Templeton sitting on a barrel in front of her, her elbows resting on her knees.

"For awhile, I thought you'd died."

Ashleigh glared up at Templeton, pushing her dark hair away from her face.  "What do you want?"

Templeton laughed.  "Honestly, girl.  Yer daft is you don't know what I want by now.  Although, I believe I've captured something a little more important to Sparrow than those two fools he calls friends."

Ashleigh merely glared up at her, refusing to speak, as Templeton stood up slowly and walked the few steps to the cell's door.  She stared down at Ashleigh for a moment, her fingers grasping the bars.  "Come here, girl."

Ashleigh didn't move, just sat where she was, glaring daggers up at the pirate captain.  Templeton's eyes hardened.  "I said come here, girl, or I will throw you overboard and let you drown."

Ashleigh began to get up slowly, but sank back to the brig floor as a sharp pain echoed in her body.  Recognizing the pain for what it was, Templeton sneered.

"He's taken you, hasn't he, lass?"

Ashleigh's head jerked up at Templeton's words, her eyes wide.  "I don't know what you are talking about."

"Don't play dumb with me.  I can see the pain in yer eyes."

"Have you ever thought that I'm in pain because my body was slammed into the ocean?"

Templeton's smirk widened.  "I'm sure that's what it is.  I took the brunt of that hit, lass, and I'm in less pain then you are.  So, how long has it been, eh?  A few days?  Weeks?"

"I am sure that if Captain Sparrow had done such a thing, it would be of no concern of yours."

"Well put, girl, well put.  I can see why he's attracted to you," Templeton replied, unlocking the cell slowly an stepping inside, leaving the door wide open behind her.

Templeton stood over her, her dark eyes glinting.  In one swift movement, she grabbed hold of Ashleigh's arm and pulled her to her feet, her free hand going beneath Ashleigh's chin, forcing her to stare up into the captain's eyes.

Templeton moved Ashleigh's head back and forth so that she could see her entire face.  "It could also be because you look a little like her.  Did you ever think that when he was looking at you that maybe he wasn't seeing you?"

Templeton let go of Ashleigh's arm, holding her only by her chin.  She ran her fingers through Ashleigh's long, black hair.  "Different hair and eyes," she whispered, "but so much like her."

Ashleigh's eyes narrowed.  "Daveigh?" she questioned.

"Never think that he could care about you like that.  He doesn't see you.  he sees her.  Instead of black hair, he sees red.  Instead of green eyes, he sees blue."

"Red hair?" Ashleigh said quietly, the image of the woman from minutes earlier forming in her mind.  "Daveigh had red hair?"

"Who the hell else would I be talking about?" Templeton growled.

"Then it was her I saw.  She's the one that spoke to me," Ashleigh whispered.

"What're you talkin' about?  My sister is dead, girl, she has been for years," Templeton said, gripping her chin tighter.

Ashleigh winced as Templeton pinched her.  "I wasn't talking about anything.  I must have dreamt it."

Templeton stared down into Ashleigh's eyes.  She pushed her back roughly, letting go of Ashleigh's chin.

Ashleigh stumbled back a few steps, staring up at the slightly taller woman.  Her eyes flicked to the open cell door, and then back to Templeton.  Ashleigh looked her up and down, sizing her, seeing if perhaps she could get past her somehow.  With her eyes scanning the cell and the woman in front of her that she completely missed Templeton's knowing smirk.

_Do it now,_ she urged herself.  Taking a deep breath, Ashleigh lunged forward, pushing her way past Templeton.  In one instant, Templeton's right hand shot out, grabbing Ashleigh by the back of her shirt and yanked her backward, slamming her into the brig's bars.  Ashleigh gasped as her breath escaped from her.

"Nice try, girl," she growled, her hand grabbing Ashleigh's throat tightly, "but I would not try that again."

"You cannot keep me here," Ashleigh gritted out.

"I can do whatever the hell I please, girl.  I am the captain of this ship," Templeton sneered.  "Tell me, girl, where did you plan on goin' after getting' past me?  Do you really think you could fight your way past my men?  I doubt you could take them all on by yerself."

"You would never know unless I tried," Ashleigh whispered.

Templeton laughed again, her dark eyes flashing.  "Yer not very smart, are you?  I assure you, my dear, that you would never make it past my men, especially not Markson.  You would be dead before you reached the main mast."

"Then kill me," she rasped, her lungs beginning to hurt from her lack of air.

"I won't kill you, girl, at least not yet.  You wouldn't be a good hostage if you were dead," she paused, a cruel glint entering her eyes.  "Although I believe it would pain him more if his lover were to die."

"I . . . told you. . ."

Templeton backhanded her suddenly, Ashleigh's head snapping to her right.  "Stop lying to me!  I saw the way he looked at you, the way he tried to protect you!  Don't ever try and tell me that you are not his lover, that you are not his whore!  He looked at Daveigh the same way!"

Ashleigh flinched at Templeton's words, her left hand finding its way to her bruising cheek.  Is that what she was considered?  Was that all she was thought of as?  Jack's whore?  Is that all he thought of her as?

"No," she whispered.  "I am not his whore."

"Is that what you think, girl?" Templeton replied, her grip loosening on Ashleigh's throat.

Ashleigh fell to the ground slowly, her back sliding against the bars.  She coughed slightly, her hand going to her throat.  Templeton stared down at her hand and then at Ashleigh, a small grin crossing her face.  She held up her hand, palm held down, revealing the thin trail of blood on her fingers.

Ashleigh touched the wound on her neck softly, and then pulled it away, staring down at the drops of blood.  "I'm bleeding."

"Of course you are, you idiot," Templeton sneered.  "You have a knife wound on your throat.  I suppose that will make your Captain Sparrow even more upset, won't it?"

Ashleigh merely stared up at her, her silence giving Templeton all the answers she needed.  With another cruel laugh, Templeton backed slowly out of the cell door, her crazed eyes staring down into hers.  She locked the door quickly and then made her way up the stairs to the main deck; leaving Ashleigh huddled on the brig floor, her hands crossed tightly across her chest.

* * * * * *

Jack stood silently at the helm of the _Black Pearl_, his right hand clenched tightly on the wheel.  His eyes were watching the open ocean ahead of him, but his mind was elsewhere.

He knew that Will and Elizabeth were sleeping peacefully in a cabin below decks, having been exhausted from their ordeal.  Michael O'Shannon, on the other hand, was locked in his own cabin, grieving for the loss of his sister.  His sister, a woman that he, Jack, had lost through his own stupidity.  A woman that he had sated his lust with.  A woman that perhaps, had made her way through his thick barriers that he had placed around himself, and penetrated his heart.

Jack knew this feeling he had.  He had been intimate with grief and sorrow before.  Many times, in fact.  Now was no different.  Now he felt the same loss, the same pain that he felt whenever someone close to him was killed.

He could hope, though, that Ashleigh was still alive; that she had survived the fall and was somewhere safe.  Hell, he could even hope she was safe and with Templeton, however safe that could make her.  Templeton he could track down.  Templeton he could kill if she harmed Ashleigh.  Templeton he _would_ kill if she was still alive.

Jack swore to everything that was holy, and, hell, everything that wasn't, that he would find Ashleigh and then exact every form of vengeance he could think of on the woman that had harmed her.

* * * * * *

AN:  Up next, **Chapter 12:** **Possibilities**.    

**Dawnie-7:  **  Thank you very much!  I'm glad you liked it!

**NazgulGirl:**  Oh, that's too bad.  Maybe one day I'll have one of my own.

**DaydreamBeliever14:  **Well, I'm pretty sure that you found out if she was alive or not in this chapter, so I hope you were pleased with it.

**PineAppleLint:  **Oh, her falling off a cliff wasn't too obvious was it?  I wasn't sure what else to do!  I needed a way to get Ashleigh into Templeton's hands, and that was the only way I thought of!


	12. Possibilities

AN: Hey all! I am so sorry that it has been such a long time since I updated. This story has been so difficult to write after all this time. I try to alternate between writing this story and then writing my other two, but sometimes it gets a little hard. I'm sure you guys understand. But, I'm through with school for the summer so I hope that I'll have enough time to write more and maybe finish this story or one of my others. I hope you like!

Ashes to Ashes

Chapter 12: Possibilities 

_Fingers caressed soft flesh. Lips trailed down hot skin. Dark hair tumbled in wild strands, falling down bare shoulders. Lips found their way back, hungrily kissing the other already swollen mouth._

_He pulled away slowly, placing one last kiss on her soft lips. His dark eyes gazed down into hers, reading the hazed emotions hidden there. He traced the contours of her pale face, her dark hair clinging to her sweaty skin._

_"Jack," she whispered, drawing him out of his reverie._

_His eyes narrowed slightly, leaning his head back. Her voice. There was something different about her voice. It had grown deeper somehow, changing from her sweet tones to a voice that seemed quite capable of commanding a crew._

_Jack watched, stunned, as Ashleigh's features transformed slowly. Her once pale face tanned, her startling green eyes changing to a blue as bright as the sky. The long strands of black hair that were wrapped around his fingers shifted into a bright, fiery red. Rough fingers grazed his face, hands cupping his cheeks, forcing him to look into her eyes._

_"Jack," Daveigh whispered. "Jack please stop this. Stop this now. I've tried. . ." she paused, her voice pleading. "I've tried talking to my sister but she won't listen. She's so thick headed sometimes. More people are gonna get hurt or killed Jack, even your new lover."_

_"Daveigh, she's. . ."_

_Daveigh__ smiled sadly, placing her calloused thumb over his lips. "Hush. I know what she is to you. You need happiness Jack, and if you continue this, you will lose her. Alexi will not hesitate to kill her," she paused again, gazing longingly into his eyes. "Don't risk it Jack. Don't risk her life."_

__

Jack bolted up in bed, sweat rolling down his bare skin. Flashes of the dream floated through his suddenly alert mind. Was it just a dream? Or was it something else? He wiped his eyes, confusion settling in. What was the dream supposed to mean? He hadn't had a dream that vivid since after Daveigh had died. And never had it been a dream about her.

Why had she warned him? Why did she try to tell him to stop looking for Ashleigh? Why would she tell him to sacrifice Ashleigh just so that no one else would get hurt? What was she trying to do? Was she trying to help him? Or stop him from doing something stupid?

Jack turned his gaze to the full moon hanging in the dark night sky. He had a lot to think about. A lot to figure out. And it could take all night.

"So what you are telling me, Commodore, is that my son and daughter are both in the hands of pirates?"

Norrington stared unflinchingly up into the older man's heated gaze.

"You could say that, sir, yes," he replied calmly.

Lord Robert O'Shannon slammed his fist into the hard wood of the desk. "And how the hell did this happen?" he exploded.

Norrington sighed again, pinching the bridge of his nose and squeezed his eyes closed. "Apparently, Lord O'Shannon, your son did not wish to leave your daughter on the ship alone. He requested to stay on board with her to ensure her safety."

"Why was she not taken off immediately?"

Norrington gazed up into the other man's eyes. "Your daughter, sir, has joined a pirate crew. She cannot be freed unless she wishes to do so. I assure you that if we had tried to take her against her will, the captain would have attacked. His ship was larger and more heavily gunned. It was a wise choice to allow him to stay on board the other ship."

"And where are they now?"

"They went in search of two of Port Royal's citizens that had been kidnapped in a recent pirate attack."

"When do you expect them to return? If they do?"

Norrington hesitated for a moment, steepling his fingers at his mouth. "Three days ago."

****

**AN:** I am so sorry that this chapter is so short! But I couldn't think of anything else to put in it! Don't be too mad!

**AN**: Up next, **Chapter 13:** Lost Hope?. Will Jack continue his search? Or will he take Daveigh's advice and stop? What will Lord O'Shannon do after this news? What does he have planned for Ashleigh? Read next time to find out!

**Dawnie-7: **No, things aren't looking too good for her, are they? But I promise that one day, they will get better. I just have to figure out how. . .

**NazgulGirl****:** Band Cake? I'm not sure I want to know. I'll update as fast as I can!

**DaydreamBeliever14: **I'm glad you're happy that she's alive. I'll try to keep you that happy for the rest of the story.

**PineAppleLint****: **I'm glad you liked the chapter. And as for what's going to happen next? I have no idea. I'm not sure how I'm going to save her, but I'll figure it out eventually.

**Jaxindi****: **Yeah, I like to make it where the characters are getting confused. As for her brother . . . if you don't like him, how do you like her father? He's a whole lot worse than Michael. Michael is the lesser of two evils.


	13. Lost Hope?

AN:    ah yes.  Another chapter for another story.  You know, it seems to take me forever to think up new ideas for some things.  Like how I'm going to end this one.  I know exactly how _to_ end it, but I have no idea how to get there.  I don't want to drag this story out, cuz then it'll get too boring, but I don't want to make it too short, cuz then there'll seem like there's some stuff unsaid.  But, I'll figure it out some how.  Enjoy!

Ashes to Ashes

Chapter 13:  Lost Hope? 

Jack sat silently in his cabin, his chair leaning back on two legs, his feet propped up on his desk.  Maps covered his desk, maps charting the courses he'd taken, the courses he planned to take, and the courses that he thought Templeton was bound to take.  He just wasn't sure.  Hence the reason he now found himself staring up at the ceiling, a bottle of rum held tightly in his hand.

He took a swig of the rum, emptying half of the bottle in one gulp.  He scratched his head slightly as thoughts slowly became blurred.  Without warning, Jack felt a force push against his feet.  The chair tipped over completely and he fell, a form of flailing limbs.

Jack and the chair hit the floor with a crash, Jack flipping backwards out of the chair, smashing into the wall behind him.  He pushed his hair out of his eyes as he heard someone walk up beside him.

"Bloody whelp!  Wha' th' 'ell do ye think yer doin'?" he slurred.

Will shook his head slowly, staring down at his fallen friend.  "I could ask you the same question.  Shouldn't you be figuring out how to find Ashleigh?"

"S'wha' 'm doin'," Jack replied, attempting to stand up.

Will's eyebrows rose slightly.  "By getting drunk Jack?  I do not think that even you can think best while intoxicated.  Jack, Elizabeth will never forgive you if something else happens to her friend.  Neither would Captain O'Shannon, I imagine."

Jack sighed.  "'M not ino.  . . into. . . intox. . ."

"Intoxicated?" Will offered.

Jack scowled at him.  "Aye.  I've had some rum, lad, but not enough to stop me from figurin' out what ta do."

"That's why you didn't even hear me enter your cabin?  Nor did you see me before I knocked you over.  No, Jack, the rum hasn't affected you at all," Will answered sarcastically.

"I don' need ye jumpin' down me throat whelp," Jack said angrily.  "I 'ave AnaMaria fer that.  Now, if ye'll kindly leave me to me business. . ."

Will sighed, shaking his head as he watched Jack straighten his chair.  "As you wish Jack," he replied, heading toward the cabin door.  Before he exited the room, Will turned around, "We will find her Jack.  We just need you at your best.  You can't help Ashleigh when you are drunk.  Think about that Jack.  If you can," he said, closing the door behind him.

-----------------

 "I still do not see why my daughter was not taken off of that pirate ship."

"I have explained this to you before, sir. . ." Norrington started, until a knock sounded on the door.  He rubbed the bridge of his nose, squinting his eyes.  "Come in."

The door opened slowly, revealing a young man that Norrington didn't recognize.

"Commodore Norrington," the man said, nodding slightly.  "Lord O'Shannon."

"Ah, good, Eric, thank you for joining us.  Commodore, I'm sure you remember my companion, Eric Summers?"

Norrington nodded.  "Good day, Mr. Summers.  Please, have a seat.  By all means, join us," he added dryly.

"Young Mr. Summers here," Robert began, "has personal interests tied to my family."

"Does he?" Norrington replied, feigning interest.

"Oh yes.  He has agreed to marry my daughter.  So you see, I have a much greater need to find her now."

Norrington's eyes narrowed.  Was this man for real?  "So if you had not found a husband for your daughter you would not have searched for her?" he asked incredulously.

Robert's gaze shot to Norrington's, shock and anger radiating through his eyes.  "I beg your pardon?"

Norrington didn't answer, merely stared unflinchingly at Robert.  Before he could reply, a hurried knock was pounded on the thick door.  Norrington sighed again.  "Come in," he called.

Gillette opened the door quickly, a smirk lighting his face.  "Black sails on the horizon, sir."

"Thank you Lieutenant.  Lower anchor.  Ready the guns should we need them."

"Yes sir," Gillette replied, and then turned on his heel to give the other men orders.

"Black sails, Commodore?"

Norrington stood up, straightening his uniform jacket.  "Black sails, Lord O'Shannon, signifies the _Black Pearl_.  A pirate ship under the command of Captain Jack Sparrow."

"Then why are we slowing down and not attacking them?  It is your responsibility to hunt these scoundrels down and arrest them.  Or kill them, whichever comes first."

"That ship, sir, is the same ship that your son and daughter are on."

-----------------

Will found Jack once again poring over several maps.  This time, however, he seemed stone cold sober.  Surprisingly, a mug sat half full on the cluttered desk.  Will's eyebrows rose slightly, shocked.  "Jack?"

"Its water, whelp."

Will shook his head.  "No Jack.  There are sails approaching.  British colors."

Jack didn't look up from the map he was studying.  "Ah.  I assume that would be Norrington coming to retrieve his men, and his two citizens that were kidnapped by pirates."

"Norrington?  Jack you honestly don't believe that we'll leave before we find Ashleigh, do you?  Especially not Elizabeth.  She would fight anybody who tried to make her do otherwise, and you know that."

Jack sighed, rubbing his eyes.  "I know, Will.  I'm not an idiot.  Norrington will be expecting both O'Shannon's I would assume, and the bloody moron they call a Lieutenant.  What a shock it'll be when I can only give 'im one of them."

"Then what are you going to do?"

"Bargain, as per usual.  I'm sure Norrington'll understand," he paused.  "Unless he decides to attack me before hearing my explanation."

"Which would be what Jack?"

"The plain and simple truth," Jack said, finally drawing his attention away from the maps and meeting Will's gaze with tired eyes.

-----------------

Ashleigh was jarred awake by water being thrown onto her.  She gasped, bolting up to a sitting position.  Cruel laughter rang out above her.  She turned her gaze to the man standing in front of her.

"Did ye enjoy yer nap, lass?" Markson sneered.

"Quite well, thank you," Ashleigh replied.

"Brought ya lunch, wench.  Savor it.  It may be yer last."

"I'm not afraid of you," she replied.  "I've met men worse than you."

"Such as who?  Surely ya don't mean yer dear Sparrow?"

"Captain Sparrow is twice the man you are.  You are a murderer and a brute," Ashleigh said, standing up and walking cautiously toward the bars.  She reached out her hand slightly, making sure that she stayed far enough away so that he couldn't reach her.

Markson laughed again.  "Ah ah wench.  Ye'll have ta reach fer it."

"I am not going to play your game."

"Then yer not gonna eat."

Ashleigh stared up into his dark eyes.  Markson's eyes bore more cruelty in them than anyone she had ever seen.  Her father included.  Hesitantly, she reached out further, her hand open to receiver the plate of food.

With another laugh, Markson grabbed her wrist and pulled her to him, smashing her into the bars again.  He looked down at her exposed skin.  Skin newly tanned and freshly calloused.

"New to this life, ain't ya wench?" he asked.  When Ashleigh remained silent, Markson squeezed her wrist.  "Don't think I don't remember ya.  I do.  Yer the stupid lass from Port Royal all those months ago.  I'd hoped ya stayed smart an' stayed outta this."

"Not when my friends were in danger," Ashleigh gritted out, doing her best to pull away from him.

"Ye shoulda wench.  Yer life woulda been so much easier," he whispered, leaning in close.  "Cuz ya see, the cap'n 'as plans fer ya.  An' the cap'n always gets what she wants."

-----------------

A knock sounded on his closed door.  Michael opened it slowly, staring down into the wide eyes of Elizabeth.

"May I help you, Miss Swann?" he asked quietly.

Elizabeth looked him up and down, sadness and worry entering her gaze.  For the last few days, Michael had stayed in the small cabin Jack had given him, wallowing in his own misery at the loss of his sister.  He was unshaven, his black hair loose and matted around his face.  His clothes were wrinkled and un-tucked.  She had never before seen a military man so disheveled.  Even in the battle two years ago, the marines somehow managed to stay clean and properly dressed. 

"I was sent to find you, Captain O'Shannon.  There is a Navy ship coming alongside us.  Jack, Captain Sparrow, requests you to be on the deck when they board."

"You can tell Captain Sparrow that he can get out of his own mess by himself."

"He believes Commodore Norrington is on the other ship.  He believes it is your ship."

 Michael sighed, running his hand through his hair.  "I will be up momentarily.  Thank you, Miss Swann."

"I'm sorry, Michael," Elizabeth said softly.  "We will find her.  Jack will find her.  I promise you."

"Sparrow has done enough," Michael replied harshly, closing the door before she could say more.

-----------------

"Good day again, Commodore," Jack said jovially, his head cocked to one side.  "I can only assume what you have come for."

"You are late, Sparrow.  You were to have met us several days ago.  I should arrest you."

Jack laughed.  "You always say that, Commodore.  The impact of those words is slowly diminishing."

"Perhaps you should pay more attention this time, pirate," a deep voice said behind Norrington.

Jack leaned over slightly, gazing around Norrington's shoulder.  The man was tall, finely dressed, a white wig lying neatly atop his head.  The man walked across the plank slowly, walking as if he owned the world.  Jack rolled his eyes.  He had enough pompous idiots on his ship at the moment, he didn't need another.

Before Jack could say anything, a voice spoke up behind him.  "Good afternoon father."

Jack whirled around, his eyes scanning the deck for who could have spoken.  Michael stood on the deck, his uniform straightened and his hair once again tied at the base of his throat.  Jack turned back to the older man, his eyes narrowed.

"Oh hell."

-----------------

**AN:  Chapter 14:  Family Relations.  **What will Jack do now that he has to face Ashleigh's father?  How will her father take the news?  Will they come to make another agreement?  Or will he merely have Jack arrested immediately?

**Dawnie-7:  **Who wouldn't have faith in our beloved Captain?  But, we'll see what he does.  Obviously, he is trying to figure out where Templeton's going, but will he ever find her?  Just kidding.  I wouldn't do that to you guys.  Or would I?

**NazgulGirl:**  Thank you very much!

**DaydreamBeliever14:  **I had to read your review several times.  It read like an evil math problem.  Unfortunately, I can't tell you exactly what's going to happen cuz that wouldn't be right.

**PineAppleLint:  **I'm glad you think so.  I really didn't see Jack giving up so easily either.  But, I like to make people think about what could happen.  It's my specialty.


	14. Family Relations

**AN: **I LIVE!!!!! Wow. I am so sorry that it's been so long since I last updated this story! It's crazy! It's been so hard to find out where to go from the last chapter, but I finally broke through the writers block for this story! Yay! I have some new ideas for this story as well! But, don't worry, the storyline isn't changing (much!) and everything is going to be the same, but I think I'll tweak the ending a little! It's going to be completely different than what I had originally planned! I hope you all enjoy!

Ashes to Ashes

**Chapter 14: Family Relations**

"You have lost your sister! How in the hell could you have possibly done that?"

Michael looked down, refusing to meet his father's heated eyes. "There was more to the situation than you know, sir," he replied quietly.

"And just what else is there that I do not know?! What else is there that I need to know?" Robert yelled, slamming his fist on the desk top, causing Jack to cringe slightly at the thought of his poor desk being beaten up.

Michael stood before his father steadfastly, refusing to look up into his father's eyes. He wasn't sure how he was going to explain everything to his father. He wouldn't understand, he couldn't understand how much Michael was killing himself over the loss of Ashleigh.

"I would say the other things dealing with the situation would be the other dozen pirates we 'ad ta deal with," Jack replied, sitting down in a soft, high-backed chair.

Robert didn't even turn to him. "Did anyone ask your opinion, Mr. Sparrow?" Jack remained silent. "I did not think so, so if you would stay out of this conversation, it would be much appreciated."

Jack's eyebrows rose slightly, his eyes flicking over the man in front of him, wondering how long it would take for his sword to slide through the man's thick waist.

"Father, Captain Sparrow is correct. There were other pirates that we were forced to deal with. One of them, a Captain Alexi Templeton caught us by surprise, capturing Ashleigh and kidnapping her."

"And you allowed this to happen?"

Michael looked up quickly, his eyes narrowed in confusion. "I did not allow anything to happen, sir. As I said before, she caught us by surprise."

"Ashleigh should never have been put in that situation in the first place!"

"She went searching for her friends under her own volition!" Michael yelled. "She would not have stood idly by and allowed them to be injured further!"

"You should have protected her! She is your sister and you are the one who was supposed to watch out for her! That is the only reason I allowed her to go to Port Royal!"

Michael shook his head. "No, father, you wanted her out of London so that you could find someone willing to marry her!"

Robert's eyes narrowed menacingly. "How dare you. You are still my son and a part of this family. You will not speak to me in such a tone."

Michael stared back at him, anger threatening to explode out of his eyes. "Do you deny it?" he asked quietly.

"How dare you ask me a question like that? My one care is for the safety of my daughter."

Jack stood up quickly, holding his hands up in the air before Michael could reply. "Enough," he said, the tone of a captain entering his voice. "I won't have any more of yer petty arguing on me ship."

"I thought I told you to stay out of this conversation, Mr. Sparrow," Robert replied, turning his angry gaze to Jack. Jack didn't flinch, didn't even turn away, merely stared into Robert's eyes.

"I don't care what ya told me, this is me own bloody ship and I won't take orders from a pompous windbag such as yerself," Jack answered defiantly.

"I beg your pardon . . ."

"As you should. It wasn't yer son's fault that Ash got taken, it was mine. Templeton was after me an' she took her ta provoke me, ta see what I would do."

"And what are you planning on doing?"

"I'll find Templeton an' I'll kill 'er," Jack replied simply.

"And then you will go to jail."

-----------------

Ashleigh wasn't sure what she was going to do. God, it had been days, no weeks, since she had seen the sun, or the moon for that matter. She couldn't even tell what day it was, nor could she tell if it was morning or night. Everything had blurred together for her. She had prayed, over and over, that someone would come for her, that someone would find her and take her away from this hell that she found herself in.

Ashleigh laughed bitterly. And she had thought the first few days on a pirate ship had been hard. At least there she had been treated with respect. Even if it had been as a fellow pirate.

"God what I wouldn't give to be out of here," she whispered.

"Do you mean that lass?" a sharp voice said out of the gloomy darkness.

Ashleigh jumped. "Captain Templeton. How nice to see you again."

Templeton smirked. "I'm sure," she paused for a moment, her knowing gaze flickering over Ashleigh. "Ya love 'im. I can see it in yer eyes an' I've 'eard ya call 'is name in the night. Ya really expect 'im ta return yer feelin's? Jack Sparrow cares fer no one and nothin' but 'imself. I wouldn't be surprised if 'e left ya ta yer death."

Ashleigh stared unflinchingly into Templeton's eyes. "I know what you are trying to do Captain Templeton and it will not work."

Templeton laughed. "And what is it that I'm tryin' ta do?"

"You are trying to make me lose hope. You believe that telling me these things that I will believe that he will not come for me. I think I know him better than you, Captain, he will come for me."

"Keep believin' that, my dear."

"That's what you are hoping for anyway isn't it? You hope he comes to find me so that you can exact your revenge on him."

"Aye. But there is so much more to it than that."

-----------------

_He sat huddled over, cradling the limp form of a young woman, her long black hair tumbling over his arms and legs._

_"I told you this would happen. I told you that this would be your future. Do you see what will happen?"_

_He didn't move, didn't turn his head to acknowledge her. "What have you done?"_

_"If you don't stop your hunt, then you have to stop her. Alexi will kill her. She will not hesitate to hurt her. You know that. She already kidnapped your friends and now she has your lover."_

_Jack let go of the limp form slowly and then jumped to his feet, turning around quickly. He grabbed the front of her shirt roughly, pulling her to him. "What have you done?" he repeated._

_"I have only showed you what will happen. Please, Jack. This can only end in tragedy. Nothing good can come of this my love."_

_"Where is she?"_

_Daveigh gave a half-hearted smile. "Go to our place, Jack. Go there."_

-----------------

Templeton stood silently at the helm, her eyes gazing out into the black night. They would be there soon and then the rest of her plan would be complete. She wouldn't have to worry about anything every again. She wouldn't have to carry the guilt around with her anymore.

"Cap'n," Markson called. "Cap'n, ya alright?"

"Aye, I'm fine. There somethin' I can do fer ya?" she asked, her eyes never leaving the moving seas.

"Jus' wonderin' how much longer."

"Jus' a few more weeks, Markson. Jus' a few more weeks."

-----------------

**Dawnie-7: **I hope you liked it! It took me so long to write this chapter! I was about to go insane from it!

**NazgulGirl: **Wow. I think that those penguins and rattlesnakes got to me and did something to me cuz I had no idea what to write until a couple of days ago! Sorry it took me so long!

**PineAppleLint: **I'm glad that you liked it! Boy, let me tell you, I agree. Poor Jack. He can never get a break it seems. And you thought it was getting interesting now? Just wait! I've got a great twist coming at the end! Yer gonna love it!

**Gwenneth: **Thank you! I'm glad that you liked it! And I love your story as well, I hope you keep updating!


	15. Visitations

**Ashes to Ashes**

**Chapter Fifteen: Visitations**

_"You were supposed to stop her,"_ a ghostly voice intoned in her sleep fogged mind. _"Why didn't you stop her?"_

Ashleigh opened her eyes slightly, licking her chapped lips. "Who . . .?"

_"This isn't going to play out right,"_ the voice continued. _"Someone's going to die. Are you willing to risk that?"_

A flash of red hair met Ashleigh's glazed eyes. A flicker of blue eyes met her gaze. A young woman stood, no, hovered, in front of her, her outline blurry as if she weren't real. Or rather, not _alive._

"Daveigh?" she whispered.

_"I know where she's taking you. I know where she's leading him. She's going to kill him!"_ Daveigh placed shimmering hands over her pale, translucent face. _"You have to stop her. You have to tell her that this isn't the way to end this."_

"If she stops," Ashleigh answered softly, "then I will die."

_"As long as he lives."_

"Why should I help you," Ashleigh said, her voice growing stronger, "if you are not willing to help me?"

_"They are more important."_

"Then I am nothing but a pawn?" Ashleigh shouted. "Am I nothing but a character in your game?"

With a sudden burst of anger, Ashleigh lifted the plate of untouched food and hurled it through the air at the flickering phantom. Daveigh stared down at her with sad eyes, and then disappeared.

"I hope you realize you'll be cleaning that up," Templeton said as she stepped down the stairs. "Were you fighting with yourself?"

"What do you care? I am nothing but bait to you. Why should you care what happens to me, or what I do?"

Templeton ignored her, staring down at the food scattered across the floor. "Not much of an appetite, I see. You should really eat. You need to keep up your strength."

"Why? Just so you can kill me later?" Ashleigh snapped. "I wouldn't give you the privilege. I would rather die here, with my death on your conscience."

Templeton sneered down at her. "Who says I have one?"

"Why else would you do this if not for guilt?"

"For revenge you bloody wench."

Ashleigh stood up slowly, propping herself up on the bars. "Daveigh wouldn't want this," she said softly, locking her green eyes on Templeton's brown ones.

Templeton's gaze hardened, her hands clenching into fists. "What did you say?"

"You heard me," Ashleigh snapped back. "She wouldn't want this. Using her death as a reason to hunt down and kill Jack. You are foolish if you believe that you are getting revenge for her and not for yourself!"

"You know nothing about my sister," Templeton seethed.

"I know enough about her to know that she wouldn't want you to kill the man she gave her heart to!"

"Shut up."

"No," Ashleigh replied, not giving a thought as to what would happen if she pissed off her captor. "I will not stop until you listen to me. Daveigh wouldn't want this! She wouldn't want you to do this!"

Before she knew what was happening, the door to her cell was thrown open and Templeton lunged inside, grabbing her by the neck. Ashleigh gasped for air, her fingers clawing at Templeton's arm.

"You listen ta me bitch," Templeton snarled, "you will say nothing about my sister or I will break yer neck an' hang yer lifeless body from my mast. What will yer lover do then? How will he cope with the thought that two of his lovers have died because of him? Do not tempt me, whore, or I will kill you without a second thought!"

"I . . . am not . . . a whore!" Ashleigh ground out through gasps for air.

"You are what I say you are!" Templeton snapped, releasing her choke hold.

Ashleigh fell to her knees, her hand going to her already bruising throat. "Daveigh died to protect him," she gasped, her voice raspy.

Templeton released a savage kick, the toe of her boot landing in her abdomen. Ashleigh bit back the scream of pain that threatened to explode from her mouth. She hunched over, crossing both arms over her pounding belly. Bile rose in her throat, but she swallowed it back, refusing to give Templeton the satisfaction.

Templeton's fingers laced through her knotted hair, yanking her head back forcefully. Tears leaked from Ashleigh's eyes despite her attempt to stop them. Templeton sneered down at Ashleigh, anger and contempt written in her eyes.

"I warned you bitch," she said.

"Cap'n," Markson called out, stopping on the last step. "Yer needed on deck. The islands been sighted up ahead."

Templeton nodded silently. She turned back to Ashleigh, her angry eyes taking pleasure from seeing the crying girl at her feet. She threw her forward, releasing her grip in Ashleigh's hair and slamming her head into the wooden deck beneath her feet.

Without another word, Templeton left the cell and led Markson back up the stairs. Ashleigh rolled herself over slowly, one hand reaching for her burning forehead. A warm, sticky sensation met her fingertips. She pulled her hand away and stared up at the red blood coating her fingers.

Fresh tears ran freely down her cheeks as she rolled onto her side, curling up into a little ball. "Jack," she sobbed.

--------------------------------

_"Jack."_

Jack shot up in his bed, the sheets falling from his sweat drenched skin. He was breathing hard as if he had just run a mile. But he hadn't. He had been dreaming. Again.

Jack was getting sick of these dreams. Haunting dreams of death, of life, of ghosts; ghosts that haunted not only his dreams, but his waking moments as well. "What the 'ell're ya doin' ta me Daveigh?" he asked the dark room around him. "Why're ya comin' ta me now? I don't know what ta do or where to go."

He paused, closing his eyes for a moment and imagining Daveigh's face, a face that had haunted him for the last few years. Oddly, he could not recall her face. Instead, every time he tried to remember her, Ashleigh's face came up in his mind.

"Ashleigh," he whispered. A shiver passed through him, sending goose bumps coursing over his skin. His heart pounded for a moment, the thought of losing yet another woman pained him, injured him, although he would never let anyone around him see it.

"Where are ya, love?" he whispered.

A soft breeze rifled his hair, causing Jack to turn around and stare at the window above his bed. No wind blew through the heavy curtains covering his window. In fact, the window was closed.

Ghostly hands traced over his face, trailing down his cheek and neck. _"Our place, Jack. Go to our place."_

Jack shivered, unsure what to make of this. His eyes narrowed slightly, the voice ringing in his ears. "Daveigh?" he whispered.

There was silence for a moment until a shimmering form appeared in front of him. Red hair met his tired eyes, a shock of blue eyes glimmered in the darkness. _"Go to our place. You'll find her there. But you may not like what you find."_

"Daveigh, what's going on?" Jack asked.

Daveigh merely stared back at him, her eyes hollow and void of any emotion. _"See your future, Jack. See hers."_

With that, Daveigh stepped to her left slightly, revealing a slumped over form behind her.

Jack jumped out of his bed, pushing past the phantom, falling to his knees beside the still form. He rolled her over, her long black hair falling over his fingers. "Ash? Ash love," he whispered, running his rough fingertips over her pale skin.

The limp form did not answer, her eyes staring sightlessly up at him. "What have you done?" he whispered.

Daveigh stared down at him, emptiness hovering in her eyes. _"This is your future; this is what will happen if you do not heed my warning."_

Jack turned his gaze slowly to the hovering phantom, anger radiating from his eyes. "What have you done?!" he screamed, lunging at Daveigh, murder echoing in his eyes, until . . .

He promptly fell off of his bed, the sheets tangling themselves around his legs. Jack shook his head, trying to erase the growing pain in his forehead. "Ugh," he muttered. "I gotta stop drinkin' 'fore bed."

Jack rubbed his forehead, sitting up slowly and leaning back against the bed. "Bloody nightmares won't bloody leave me alone."

A knock sounded on the door, a tentative voice calling forth, "Cap'n?"

Jack groaned inwardly. Just what he needed, a wonderful conversation with the one woman he could never win against. "Eh?" he called.

AnaMaria opened the door slowly, poking her head through the small crack. "Cap'n ya alright? I 'eard a noise."

Jack nodded, his fingers rubbing the tiny lump forming on his head. "Aye, lass, I'm alright. Jus' fell out o' bed is all."

AnaMaria stared down on him, her eyes showing that she was on the verge of laughter. "Fell out o' the bed, Cap'n? Never knew ye were that coordinated."

"Very funny."

AnaMaria shrugged. "Whatever. Jus' thought ya may wanna come up above Cap'n, ya gotta remember that ya still 'ave guests on board."

Jack groaned. "Don't remind me."

"Then I'll see ya in a few then, eh?"

Jack was silent for a moment, his eyes staring down at the wooden floor, maps cluttering the floor. His mind turned back to the dream he had had moments before. He was confused. What exactly was he supposed to think of it? Was he supposed to understand what he had dreamed? Hell no. Of course not.

He looked back up at her, a small smile crossing his face. "Aye."

--------------------------------

_Hands roamed over skin. Bodies rocked in a motion that only lovers could describe. There was a gasp as a girl that was so unfamiliar with the emotion of love, felt a kiss brush the tender skin of her throat. Fingers played with flesh that quivered in pleasure. Teeth grazed tender skin._

_"Uhn . . . Jack," she whispered._

--------------------------------

"Jack," Ashleigh whispered, her eyes flitting open. Her head still throbbed from when Templeton had slammed her head into the deck. She sat up slowly, making sure not to move her aching head too much. She wished she could just go home. She almost wished that she had never left England at all. Almost, but not quite.

Ashleigh smiled slightly. She could almost imagine what her life would have been like had she not gone to Port Royal to visit Elizabeth and go to her wedding. She would spend the rest of her life in a loveless marriage that would have helped her father out financially. She would never have had adventure or least of all love.

But Jack had given her that. He had given her the adventure that she had always dreamed of. Her boring life had become exotic. It had become exciting. Jack had shown her what a great life could be, even in the little bit of time she had known him. He had given Ashleigh a new meaning to her boring life, given her a new chance to show who she could really be.

And now where was she? Ashleigh wanted to try and be angry at Jack for letting her get taken; wanted to be upset that he hadn't come to save her yet. But she couldn't. The only person that she could find herself being angry with was Templeton. Templeton and her stupid vendetta against Jack.

But then she found herself hating, well, herself. She should have been more observant; more aware of her surroundings when Templeton had taken her. Now, all she could do was wait. Wait and pray that Jack would find her before it became too late.

--------------------------------

**AN: **Wow, it has been so long since I've updated this story (over three months to be exact!). I am so sorry about that. I continue to have writer's block for this one, while I can write all about Demon Called Deception. I hate it when I do that. It really just kind of comes and goes. I'll try to update more often. I promise!

**Gwenneth: **Thanks! I'm glad that you enjoyed the chapter! I hope you liked this one as well, although it's a little bit touch and go at times. I think I've been fighting with this chapter since August and I've only just been able to write it!

**Dawnie-7: **Yeah, poor Jack. His desk really didn't deserve that. And yes, the father is an ass. I don't even like him and I'm writing the story! I love writing characters that I can't stand. But, I can tell you that he doesn't get much better later. Hope you enjoyed!

**NazgulGirl: **Yay! I love my tennis shoes! I'm glad that they're safe! I don't know what I would do without them! I'm glad you enjoyed!

**Ash: **Thank you! I'm glad that you liked it! I hope you continue to read!


	16. Nobody's Home Oneshot

AN: I know that it has been a long time since I have updated, but I have extreme writer's block and I can't seem to write much for this story! I hope to have more written soon, but, in the meantime, I hope that you enjoy this little one shot that I wrote awhile ago. It takes place before the story begins, before Ashleigh sets foot in Port Royal. I know that some of you have read this before when I had it under another name, but I hope that you enjoy anyway!

**Disclaimer: **The lyrics used in this chapter are from the song "Nobody's Home" by Avril Lavigne. I do not own them!

Nobody's Home

She wasn't sure if she was going to be able to do this. She wasn't sure if she was going to be able to see her again. It had been so long since she had last seen her, and now she wasn't sure if they would still be as close of friends as they used to be. Things had to have changed in the last ten years. After all, Elizabeth was about to be married and she, Ashleigh, had yet to meet anyone remotely interesting or interested in her. How was she to stand up to Elizabeth's standards?

Everything was going to be so different.

_I couldn't tell you_

_Why she felt that way_

_She felt it every day_

_And I couldn't help her_

_I just watched her make_

_The same mistakes again_

Her eyes scanned the rushing ocean, watching as the waves crashed into the moving ship. She loved the feel of the wind rushing through her hair, brushing her face in loving caresses. She almost wished she could stay out on the ocean until the day she died. A smile crossed her face at the childhood memories that played in her mind. Memories of when she and Elizabeth would play out in the sunshine, playing pirates. It had seemed to be the most exciting time in her life.

Now, however, things had changed. She now realized that pirates were not the fantasy characters that they had believed them to be and now knew them to be the fierce creatures of the open ocean. Ashleigh no longer wished to meet up with a pirate. She no longer wished to catch a glimpse of that elusive Jolly Roger. The thought of pirates now sent a shiver down her spine. She not only feared them, but she felt anger surge through her body at just the thought.

_What's wrong what's wrong now_

_Too many too many problems_

_Don't know where she belongs_

_Where she belongs_

Her brother had taught her how to fight. Her father didn't know, obviously, he probably would have killed her if he had. Ashleigh's father would never have approved of her being able to sword fight. He believed that women should be protected by men; they should never be able to protect themselves.

She hated this life. She hated being treated like a dainty lady. Ashleigh turned her head slightly, gazing over her shoulder at the many sailors working on deck. She knew she could probably beat any of them in a duel. She just wished someone would give her the chance to prove it.

Now though, she wasn't sure where she belonged. Her mind told her to simply accept life as it came. Her heart told her to fight against the way she was raised, to prove her ability to protect herself. She only wished she could get out of this boring life and have some excitement in her life.

She only wished she could figure out where to go.

_She wants to go home_

_But nobody's home_

_That's where she lies_

_Broken inside_

_With no place to go_

_No place to go_

_To dry her eyes_

_Broken inside_

Elizabeth Swann stood on the dark wooden dock, her eyes scanning the port. Her childhood friend was supposed to be arriving today, and she was anxious to see her. It had been so long since she had seen Ashleigh. She couldn't wait to see how much she had changed. She knew that as a child Ashleigh was carefree, running through the fields barefoot, her long black hair flowing behind her. But now. . . how was she to recognize her childhood friend?

Elizabeth knew that Ashleigh's father had never taken an interest in her. He had been too busy with his shipping business. And too busy with his son to take any notice. Ashleigh had been raised by nannies paid by her father to take care of her so that he wouldn't have had to be bothered. Now, though, she was of the age to be married, so Elizabeth knew that he would become interested in her merely to find someone rich enough to marry her off to.

Elizabeth just hoped that nothing had changed too much, that her friend hadn't changed from the girl that she had grown up with.

_Open your eyes_

_And look outside_

_Find the reasons why_

_You've been rejected_

_Now you can't find_

_What you've left behind_

Ashleigh couldn't tell where her life would lead her. Not true. She could. Her life would become a great circle. She would stay in Port Royal for Elizabeth's wedding, catching up with her best friend in the process. And then, weeks later, she would return home to her boring life. She would return home to a life where she would once again be completely ignored by her father and being hidden from normal societies view. Except of course, when her father wanted to marry her off.

Now, she was of the age to bear children and be married, so of course he became interested in her. Not that he spent any more time with her, oh no, that would be asking too much of him.

Her stomach told her to go home, that she needed to go back to being safe and sound in her house in London. Her stomach did tell her to go back, but her heart told her to stay away, that she would be better off hiding somewhere far away. Perhaps she would be able to live with Elizabeth? Ashleigh shook her head. No, that would be impossible. Elizabeth was about to be married, she didn't need someone else living in her house bothering her. God, if only she could get away from her boring, mundane, predictable life.

_Be strong be strong now_

_Too many too many problems_

_Don't know where she belongs_

_Where she belongs_

Elizabeth twisted her hands in front of her, her eyes nervously scanning the wide open sea. A hand touched her shoulder lightly, causing her to jump. She turned around quickly, her eyes catching sight of her new fiancé, Will Turner. She smiled up at him, a nervous smile. Will smiled back, his brown eyes glinting in the late afternoon sun. His hand tightened on her shoulder, offering her silent comfort.

Elizabeth buried her face in his chest, wrapping her arms around his waist slowly. She could smell the forge on him, the fire and dust. Behind that, she could smell the faint scent of the ocean, a scent that had stayed on him since their adventure two years before, a scent that would never go away.

He was a pirate after all.

_She wants to go home_

_But nobody's home_

_That's where she lies_

_Broken inside_

_With no place to go_

_No place to go_

_To dry her eyes_

_Broken inside_

A sailor had called out. He could see land ahead of them. Ashleigh squinted her eyes, attempting to see what the man had seen. There was a splotch of darkness ahead of them, a small piece of the endless earth. There she would find her friend. There she would find an old person who would seem new. Someone who would have been through adventures and has met the love of her life, a man that she cannot live without.

What did Ashleigh have to offer? What did she have to give besides friendship? Why did she believe that anything would ever be the same between them? Why did she believe that Elizabeth would ever have time for her in her new life?

_Her feelings she hides_

_Her dreams she can't find_

_She's losing her mind_

_She's falling behind_

_She can't find her place_

_She's losing her faith_

_She's falling from grace_

_She's all over the place_

"Will it be the same?"

Will smiled. "Maybe. I'm sure she'll be the same. Friendships like yours can never change."

"But it has been ten years, Will. I have changed and I am sure that she has changed as well. Nobody can stay the same way for ten years."

Will smirked. "Well, most people can't. I can think of one who can."

Elizabeth smiled, turning her back to him and leaning against him, Will's arms going around her waist. "He doesn't count, my love."

Will laughed. "Of course not, but he still disproves your theory that no one can stay the same way for ten years. I'm sure that your friendship has lasted, Elizabeth. Nothing can break the bonds of friendship."

"Or sisterhood," Elizabeth whispered, staring once again out at the ocean, her eyes hoping to catch a glance of the ship that would carry her friend to her once again.

_She wants to go home_

_But nobody's home_

_That's where she lies_

_Broken inside_

_With no place to go_

_No place to go_

_To dry her eyes_

_Broken inside_

"Port Royal is just ahead of us, Ashleigh," Michael said, coming up behind her.

Ashleigh turned to him, a slight smile hovering over her face. "I am glad. I enjoyed the trip, brother. I can understand why you love the ocean so much."

Michael smiled. "You look nervous, sister. Are you concerned about visiting Miss Swann?"

"A little," she replied truthfully, glancing out at the rolling waves. "I have not seen Elizabeth in ten years. Everything will be different."

"Maybe not."

Ashleigh sighed. "But you will not even be there. You have goods to deliver soon after you dock in the port. And you will not be back anytime soon."

Michael touched her shoulder gently. "It will be fine, Ashleigh. Do not worry," he glanced behind her, his eyes taking on a far away look. "Look behind you, Ashleigh. Port Royal is right on the horizon."

Ashleigh turned around slowly, her breath catching in her throat.

_She's lost inside lost inside_

_She's lost inside lost inside_

And now, as she looked in front of her, she could see it. Her past. Her friend. And hopefully her future.

Port Royal.


	17. Almost Over

Ashes to Ashes

**Chapter 16: Almost Over**

She had been blindfolded and dragged through underbrush and trees for almost an hour. But, at least she was off of the ship. Granted the company still wasn't any better. Templeton and her crude first mate Markson were the ones dragging her through the forest, followed by several of her crew.

Ashleigh almost wished that they could stop and rest for a moment. Her weary limbs were protesting the quick marching; her legs wobbling and threatening to give way. But she knew no matter how much she pleaded, Templeton would never give her a break.

If only Ashleigh could know, could _see_, where they were going, then maybe, just maybe, she could feel a little better. But she doubted it. She honestly doubted that wherever Templeton was taking her was anyplace good at all.

Ashleigh just hoped that Jack would not fall prey to her trap.

* * *

"Why have we changed course Mr. Sparrow?"

"Its _Captain_ Sparrow mate," Jack replied and turned slowly to face Robert O'Shannon, his brown eyes glinting. "And I changed course because I am the captain an' it's my prerogative."

"How dare you . . ."

"Oh for God's sake father! As much as it pains me to say it, Captain Sparrow knows what he is doing, so allow him to do it!"

"Thanks very much," Jack replied.

Robert turned his attention to his son. "You do not talk to me like that boy."

"Perhaps it is about time I do," Michael answered, sighing. "I know that you want to see Ashleigh alive as much as I do. But if you do not put at least a little bit of faith in Captain Sparrow, then we will never see her again. I do not like it anymore than you do, but he is our only hope."

Robert was silent for a moment, his eyes flicking back and forth between Jack and Michael. "Do you know where you are going?" he asked finally.

Jack hesitated. "Aye that I do."

"Then we will continue to follow you," Robert answered, gesturing at the ship following closely behind the _Black Pearl_. "And when this is over, I will see you hanged."

Without another work Robert stalked off, making his way to the bow of the ship.

Jack watched him for a moment and then leaned in closely to Michael. "What say we attack 'im in the middle o' the night an' toss 'im overboard eh?"

Michael's eyebrows rose slightly. "I do not find that funny seeing as he is my father."

Jack grinned slightly. "But ya know ya want to."

Michael gave a slight smile, the humor showing in his eyes. "I may not agree with him all of the time, Captain Sparrow, but I would never harbor thoughts of killing him."

"Who said it'd kill 'im?" Jack replied, not turning from the helm. "I'm sure ol' Norrington would pick 'im up."

Michael laughed. "I do not believe that would be wise, Captain Sparrow. I just do not believe that would be wise."

* * *

"Will? Are you awake Will?"

Will sighed. "Yes, Elizabeth, I am."

"I'm worried Will, about Ashleigh. What if we don't find her in time?"

Will rolled over, wrapping his arms around her tightly. "We will find her Elizabeth. Jack will not let us down, you know that. Look at all that he has done for us already."

Elizabeth gave a weak smile. "Of course," she replied softly. "Of course. You're right. I do not know what I could have been thinking."

Will smiled back. "You're worried, love. You have been since she was taken. I promise you that we will get her back safely." He paused, planting a soft kiss on her lips. "We will be home in time for our wedding, I promise on my life, that we will be."

Elizabeth was silent for a moment, not meeting his eyes. Will stared down at her, confused. "You do still want to get married . . . don't you?"

"Yes, yes of course I do. I want to be your wife and part of your family Will. I love you and you know that."

"But?"

Elizabeth took hold of his gaze with her own, soft tears beginning to build up in her eyes. "But do you think it is wise to get married so soon after all of this? I mean, after being kidnapped and then losing Ashleigh . . . don't you think we should wait?"

Will smiled over at her, a flood of relief rushing through his body. He had been afraid for a moment that perhaps she had changed her mind; that perhaps she had decided not to marry him after all. After everything that they had been through, he would not have blamed her.

"If you think that we should, then we will. I won't pressure you, you know that."

Elizabeth smiled again, only this time it was broader. "I know," she answered, "and that is why I love you."

* * *

Ashleigh felt the rope grind into her skin as she was unceremoniously tied to the small, wooden chair. The blindfold was still in place, covering her eyes so that she could not see where they were.

She could hear their voices, but she could not hear what they were saying. Their voices were muffled as if they were far away. And yet Ashleigh could tell that they were heated; that they were arguing.

Suddenly her head was thrust forward roughly, a pair of hands ripping at the knot holding the blindfold to her head. The cloth fell from her eyes, allowing her to see where she was. Ashleigh blinked against the intruding sunlight. Her eyes had become accustomed to the darkness provided by the blindfold, and even though the sun was setting, the dimming rays were still too bright for her abused eyes.

She looked around the room she was sitting in, taking in the dust covered bookshelves and the moth eaten curtains. Her eyes finally fell on a dusty, velvet covered bed. The comforter was un-wrinkled as if it had not been used in years. Dust and dirt covered it, muting the beautiful red fabric that it was made from. The bed posts were crumbling, the wood having not been taken care of in so long.

Ashleigh's eyes grew distant for a moment as she gazed at the bed, her mind recognizing that it could have been used for only one thing. Images flitted through her mind of a couple sharing peaceful nights alone in that bed, the sheets pulled up over their chests.

She shook her head slightly, attempting to clear the picture out of her mind. Ashleigh did not want to see it; she did not want to know about it.

"What's the matter, wench, seein' ghosts?" Markson sneered, his voice right next to her ear, leading her to believe that he had been the one to take off the blindfold.

"Possibly," she replied, her voice raspy and hollow.

Markson grabbed her from behind, his thick hand crushing her throat. "Yer feisty, wench. If it had been up to me, I would've kept ya fer me an' the rest o' the crew fer some fun." He chuckled as he felt the pulse in her throat quicken. "But the Cap'n has too many plans fer ya. She wants ya untouched and unharmed fer when Sparrow comes to save ya."

"Let go of me," she whispered.

Markson laughed again. "Ye've got spirit lass, I'll give ye that." He squeezed her throat tighter for a moment, cutting off her air. Ashleigh gasped for air, her lungs unconsciously searching for a way to fill.

"Markson!" a voice shouted in the almost silent room.

Instantly Markson removed his hand and stepped back from her, a scowl covering his face.

"What were you doing?" Templeton gritted out between clenched teeth.

"Nothin' Cap'n," he responded, his gaze not meeting her eyes. "Jus' watchin' over 'er like ya asked."

"Leave, Markson," Templeton snapped. "Go out and watch the perimeter. Make sure that no one gets too close without us knowing."

"Aye, Cap'n," Markson replied, beginning to leave the room, giving his angry captain a wide berth.

Templeton stared down at Ashleigh as the door shut behind Markson. "You know what this place is." She stated.

"How could I? I have never been here before."

Templeton smirked. "But you know. There's somethin' deep down inside you that tells you what this place is."

Ashleigh looked down, allowing her black bangs to cover her tearing eyes.

"They would come here. They would come here to be alone; away from all the rest of the world."

"I don't care. It doesn't matter." Ashleigh whispered.

Templeton bent down to look into her eyes. She reached out and grabbed Ashleigh's chin, lifting her face up. "Oh, I think it does."

* * *

The sword was at his throat and the pistols cocked before anyone could move. Jack held his head high, avoiding any contact with the blade of the sword. Will and Elizabeth stood just behind him, calmly staring at the men surrounding them. Fear hovered in Elizabeth's eyes. She remembered these men. They had been her torment, her nightmare, ever since this entire event had started; ever since Templeton had them kidnapped.

Will stood stoically in front of her, one arm slightly outstretched to protect Elizabeth. Despite his outward appearance, Will could feel his heart pound beneath his chest. He was just as worried as Elizabeth was, but he would never let her see it.

Norrington and Michael both stood silently behind the other three. Their eyes took in the numerous pirates circling them. Their hands strayed near their pistols although neither one would dare to draw them.

Jack, on the other hand, stood expressionless, his mouth set in a thin, straight line. Although if one watched close enough, one would see the corners of his mouth twitch up into a smirk now and again. They would also see a mischievous glint enter his once empty eyes.

But these pirates hiding in the shadows did not notice the grin; they did not notice the enigmatic expression flicker in his eyes. No, they were too busy gloating.

Markson laughed, brushing the blade of his sword against Jack's throat. "Well, well," he cackled, "looks as if we've caught ourselves a Sparra'."

"Two lil' lovebirds as well," another man said, grinning toothlessly.

Another man snickered. "Two navy birds too."

Markson leaned in close to Jack, the grin widening on his thin lips. "Did ya 'onestly believe that ye could get ta us 'fore we found ya?"

Jack shrugged, his gaze never leaving Markson's. "Worth a try," he stated simply.

"We'll see where yer 'try' gets ya."

The smirk tugged at Jack's lips once again. "Aye, that we will."

* * *

**AN: **Wow. I am so sorry that it took so long. I mean, it's been almost six months since I have actually updated this story. I have just been so busy with the end of school and being sick on and off for the last month and a half. Plus work just blows and I've been there pretty much every day since forever. But, here it is. Tell me what you think although I hope all of you enjoyed. 


	18. A Past Revealed

Ashes to Ashes

**Chapter 17: A Past Revealed**

"This was their rendezvous," Templeton sneered. "This was where they would meet so no one could bother them."

Templeton walked stiffly towards the velvet covered bed, brushing the dusty wooden posts with her fingertips. Her hands tightened into fists as she stared stonily at the bed. "She kept it from me for so long. She hid her affair with Sparrow from her captain. From her sister! Do you have any idea how much it hurt?"

Ashleigh stared at Templeton in silence, unsure whether to answer her. The look on Templeton's face was filled with both sorrow and anger. The loss of her sister all those years ago had stayed with her; had gnawed away at the love she felt for her sister and replaced it with hatred for the cause of her death: Jack Sparrow.

"She told me that she loved him and that he loved her." She laughed coldly. "The great Captain Jack Sparrow falling in love? I told her that she had lost it. I knew that he would never tie himself down to one woman. I knew it could never happen. But she didn't believe me."

Ashleigh took a deep breath, the air around her suddenly becoming thick. The smell of jasmine permeated the air around her, the sweet scent beginning to overwhelm her. She attempted to speak again, but the lingering smell suffocated her.

"But now he's moved on to you," Templeton sneered, turning slowly to look at her silent prisoner. "And what better way to trap a sparrow then to steal its whore?"

The feeling of a soft hand on her shoulder caused shivers to run through Ashleigh's body. Her mouth felt dry; her throat itchy.

"What? Nothing to say?" Templeton asked as she walked the few steps to where Ashleigh was bound. "You're not going to disagree? You're not going to tell me that you're not his whore? That he loves you?"

Ashleigh's gaze flicked up to meet Templeton's eyes. Her mouth opened slowly as she tried to speak, tried to say anything. She wasn't even sure what her captor was saying. Templeton's words were muffled, her voice too low to understand. She closed her eyes slowly, shaking her head gently to try and get rid of the heavy feeling in her mind. Before she could open her mouth again, the sound of footsteps began to echo in the hallway.

* * *

Jack knew this place and he knew this place well. But he had not expected to ever see it again. The house was filled with too many memories; many wonderful memories at that. But after her death, he had avoided the place like the plague. Jack had never wanted to come here again.

"Jack, are you alright?" Will whispered.

"Shut up!" one of the pirates yelled. "No talking!"

Elizabeth shook her head, her hands clenching into fists. "Where is Ashleigh?" she blurted angrily.

Markson turned around to face them. "Ye'll see 'er soon, love. She's right in that room," he sneered, pointing his thick finger at a dark door a few feet in front of them. "She's visitin' wit' the captain."

A shiver ran down Jack's spine as his eyes landed on the door. He stopped in his tracks, his eyes widening slightly. He did not like where this was going. Why would Templeton take them here? Why would she hold Ashleigh in that place? And then he knew.

Templeton knew about this place; knew what it meant, what it had been used for. She knew what this place would do to him if he ever returned. She was smart, Jack would give her that.

The barrel of a pistol shoved into his back brought him back from his thoughts. "Move along."

Jack turned to him slightly, attempting a smile. "No need ta shove, mate."

The pirate merely responded with another shove to Jack's shoulder, pushing him closer to the forbidding door.

* * *

Templeton's head jerked up at the sound of the voices, a small smirk lifting the corners of her mouth. "Ah," she said, "I see our guests have arrived."

Ghostly hands continued to press down on Ashleigh's shoulders, seeming to merge in with her body. Her eyes blurred, her chest clenched. And then a voice whispered softly into her ear.

* * *

Elizabeth was shoved roughly into the dusty room, tripping on her oversized breeches and falling to her knees.

"So nice to see you again, Miss Swann."

Elizabeth lifted her gaze slowly, dreading the sight she knew she would see. Templeton stood hovering over her, a cruel smirk on her lips. _Don't show fear_, Elizabeth thought.

Hands pulled Elizabeth to her feet and then pushed her behind a man so protective she knew he would watch over her for the rest of their lives. "Will," she breathed.

Elizabeth trailed her gaze past Will's shoulder to look around the dusty room. Her heart stopped the moment her eyes landed on the pale form of her childhood friend.

"Ashleigh!" she cried.

Ashleigh did not move, her lowered head did not rise; the hair covering her face did not stir. Elizabeth clutched at the back of Will's shirt when she didn't receive a reply. Something was wrong. "Why isn't she moving?" she whispered.

"What did you do Templeton?" Jack asked, his eyes going to Ashleigh the moment he was shoved unceremoniously into the room.

"What have you done to my sister?" Michael seconded, the worry in his eyes doubling at the sight of her.

Templeton glanced at him, and then turned slightly to gaze at Ashleigh. She noticed nothing odd about her, besides the fact that the girl was strangely silent. Templeton turned her attention back to the group of pirates and officers, a smirk hovering over her lips.

"Your sister is fine, boy."

Michael's anger exploded. "Does she look fine to you!" he yelled, gesturing at his hunched over sister.

Once again all attention turned to the quiet woman, their eyes all watching, waiting for some form of movement.

* * *

Ashleigh's mind fogged over. She had no idea what was happening around her, no idea of the conversation that was going on right in front of her. She knew, though, that something was happening; something that was not right. Her eyes glazed over as her head swam. And then the world went black.

* * *

The fight had started. Markson had attacked first; swinging his sword at Jack's back. Jack, somehow sensing the coming blow, dodged and then elbowed Markson in the face, following with a punch to the back of his head as he fell, effectively knocking the pirate unconscious.

Will and Elizabeth held their own, wrestling weapons from their captors and using the swords against them. Michael used only his bare hands; Norrington hit the first pirate that attacked him, stealing the man's dagger in the process. Their fight was almost over before any of the pirates could really fight back.

Jack, though, only had eyes for the woman captain standing in front of him. He held his anger in check, the emotion broiling in his stomach. "Templeton, it's over."

She gave a harsh laugh. "Over, Sparrow? This will never be over. Even if you beat me now, I'll always be back."

"Then we'll end this here, eh?"

Templeton lunged at Jack, her sword held tightly in her right hand. Jack ducked, effectively dodging her swing. Before Jack could retaliate, a voice cried out in the room; a voice that Jack knew all too well.

"Stop! There is no sense in all this fighting!"

All movement in the room stopped, everyone's eyes moving to stare at the woman bound to the chair.

"Ashleigh?" Michael called.

Ashleigh's head lifted, the black hair falling to reveal her face. Jack blinked as her face came into view. Her once innocent eyes were harder, her full lips set in a thin line.

"There is no sense in what you are doing," Ashleigh said, her voice somehow changed. "I have tried warning you; I have tried telling you that this was pointless."

"No," Jack whispered, drawing Templeton's gaze to him. "No. Daveigh."

Templeton's attention snapped back to Ashleigh's still form at his words. "Daveigh?" she asked, her features growing softer. "It can't be possible."

"You've begun something that never had to be started Alexi," the girl replied as Templeton moved closer to her.

"I had to," Templeton replied, falling to her knees in front of Ashleigh's possessed form. "I had to avenge you. You were killed because of him."

"You should have let it be. You've lost good men, men that never needed to be killed."

Templeton reached out to touch Ashleigh's face, her fingers caressing her cold cheek. "It was all to avenge your death," she whispered.

"It was a death you caused!"

Jack jumped slightly at Daveigh's shout, his brown eyes hardening at her words.

"What?" Templeton asked, climbing to her feet quickly and taking a step back. "What? No. No, it wasn't my fault."

"How can you blame him for my death when you pulled the trigger? You've hated him since you found out I loved him. You were so afraid that he would take me away from you."

"I . . . I didn't do it. It wasn't my fault," she insisted.

"Tell the truth, Alexi," Daveigh responded, her voice growing softer. Templeton turned around quickly, turning her back to the ghost of her sister.

But when she looked up it was to see Jack's blazing eyes. "All this time I blamed myself," he said. "All this time I was angry at myself for something you did?"

"It _was_ your fault Sparrow," Templeton spat, hatred once again consuming her face. "All she had to do was stay out of the way. But she wouldn't listen. I told her you didn't love her, but she didn't believe me. I had to do something. I had to stop her from being foolish."

Jack's gaze flicked down, his grip on the sword tightened. "You killed her?" he whispered. Anger seemed to radiate from his skin; his muscles were tense, his short fingernails bit into the skin on his palms.

"It was never his fault Alexi," Daveigh said through Ashleigh's lips. "You know it was never his fault."

"All you had to do was stay out of the way," Templeton repeated quietly, once again sinking to her knees. Her shoulders slumped as tears began to stream down her cheeks. "I didn't mean . . ."

Jack raised his sword slightly, the tip of the blade touching Templeton's chin. He raised her head up slowly, drawing her gaze to his. He could hear Elizabeth in the background asking what he was going to do. He could feel everyone's eyes on him, staring at him, watching him, but his attention was focused solely on the woman kneeling before him.

The anguish in Templeton's eyes meant nothing to him; his anger ate away at everything inside of him. He had blamed himself for so long, blamed himself for everything that had happened. The anger, the hatred, told him to end it right then. To just kill the woman kneeling in front of him, to stop everything that she had put him through.

But the other side, the part of him that ruled his mind for most of the time, told him that that would be wrong. It told him that he could do nothing more to her than what had already been done; he could not hurt her anymore than she had already hurt herself.

So instead of pushing the tip of his sword through her skin, he lowered it slightly. "It's over, Templeton," he simply whispered.

Templeton's head sank down, the defeat and sorrow showing on her face. A hand touched Jack's shoulder causing him to turn his head slightly. Will stood silently behind him, a knowing look crossing his face. "Go," he whispered, "I'll watch her."

Jack nodded and sheathed his weapon. He walked past the hunched over captain, not even taking a glance behind him as he stepped up to Ashleigh's possessed form. The girl stared up at him, a soft smile gracing her lips. A smile began to tug at his mouth, a knowing smile. He could see Daveigh's features on Ashleigh's face; Daveigh's small mouth and high cheekbones, her sharp blue eyes. But he knew that all of Daveigh's features were merely a ghost of an image placed over another. Underneath he could still see Ashleigh's round face and full lips. Her soft green eyes shone like a beacon beneath the contrasting blue. He knew she was still there.

Jack took in the healing bruises on Ashleigh's face, the small wound on her neck. His fingers brushed the wound, feeling the slightly raised scar that had been left there.

"Jack," a soft voice interrupted.

He looked up into Daveigh's ghostly face and a smile lit his lips again. "Daveigh," he whispered.

"Jack, you need to untie me. I have to do something before I go. There's something I have to do."

Jack nodded silently and then knelt down in front of her, reaching into his boot for the knife he kept there. He cut the ropes around her ankles and then moved around to her back, gently cutting the ropes at her wrists. Jack stood up and put out his hand to her. Daveigh accepted his proffered hand, allowing him to help her to stand. She stumbled slightly, tumbling into him.

Jack caught hold of her as she stumbled, taking her into his arms. He buried his face in her hair, inhaling the mixed scents of jasmine and sea air. Jack had thought that he would never be able to hold her in his arms again after she had died, never thought that he would be able to hold her close. He felt a brief jolt of happiness at the feel of her in his arms until his reality set in.

He knew Daveigh was not actually with him. He knew she was only there because she was using Ashleigh's body as her own. Jack knew that it could never be the same way that it was. He pushed her away slowly, trailing his hands lightly down her arms. "Easy, love."

Daveigh smiled up at him, her blue tinged eyes crinkling at the edges. She pushed away from Jack gently, stepping back from him and turning away.

Templeton stared up at the ghost of her sister as she knelt down in front of her. "Alexi," she whispered, "I love you, and you know that. Nothing could have ever taken me away from you. Not my love for Sparrow, not anything. You were my captain and my sister and I would have never done something to hurt you."

Templeton opened her mouth to reply when Daveigh cut her off. "How could you have ever thought that I would have just stood by and let you kill someone that I loved? I couldn't let you kill Jack and you knew that, and yet you pulled the trigger anyway."

"I-" Templeton began. "I didn't know you were there. I didn't mean to- I didn't mean to hurt you," she whispered, tears streaming freely down her cheeks. "I just- I couldn't-"

Daveigh smiled sadly at her sister, sorrow echoing on her ghostly features. "I know, Alexi, I know." Daveigh leaned into her sister, wrapping her arms softly around Templeton's shoulders. Templeton's back grew stiff, her muscles tensing at the sign of affection. "I forgive you," Daveigh whispered.

A sad smile formed on Templeton's face. "I'm sorry," she whispered.

"I know."

Daveigh released her sister and stood up slowly. She turned her attention to Jack until a gunshot rang out in the room. Daveigh spun on her feet, watching as Templeton's body went rigid and a spot of blood began to pool on her chest. "No!"

A second shot rang out as Daveigh grabbed hold of her sister's falling form, clutching the limp body to her chest. "No, no Alexi, please."

Templeton smiled up at her Daveigh, a thin line of blood trailing down her chin. "I'm sorry," she whispered. "I'm . . . so sorry."

"She was too weak to be captain," a gruff voice called out.

Daveigh turned her head slightly, her fingers softly rubbing over her sister's lifeless face. Markson knelt on the ground, his left hand clutching a bleeding wound on his abdomen. A smoking pistol was held loosely in his right hand, the muzzle resting lightly against the wood floor. "Why?" she whispered.

"She did not deserve to be captain. She gave in too easily," he replied, spittle flying from his mouth.

"So you kill her?!" Daveigh shouted.

A cruel smirk spread over Markson's lips. "Bitch deserved to die."

Daveigh let go of Templeton's lifeless form slowly, placing her gently on the wooden floor. As soon as she was set down, Daveigh launched herself at Markson, her fist raised high.

Using the last bit of strength he had, Markson lifted his right hand, another hidden pistol appearing from the sleeve of his shirt. Before anyone could react, before anyone could stop him, the trigger was pulled, the small bullet flying through the air and burying itself deep in Daveigh's, no Ashleigh's, left shoulder. The force of the shot threw her back, forcing her to land on her back, a puddle of blood already forming underneath her.

"No!" Jack and Michael yelled in unison, both men running to her side.

Moments after Ashleigh's body hit the floor another shot rang out, the bullet from the gun lodging itself in Markson's heart. Markson fell to his back, his lifeless eyes staring at the ceiling. Everyone in the room turned widened eyes on Norrington, the smoking gun clenched in his hand. He did not reply to their silent queries, merely lowered the gun and turned his attention back to the other defeated pirates.

Jack pressed down on the bleeding wound on Ashleigh's shoulder, attempting to stem the flow of blood as best he could. "Do not die on me," he whispered softly in her ear.

"Ashleigh, you are stronger than this," Michael said, clutching her hand in his. "You will live."

"She'll live," a ghostly voice said above them. "It's not her time."

Jack looked up, his mouth set in a thin line, no humor hidden in his eyes. "Daveigh."

A sad smile lit her lips. "I'm sorry Jack; I didn't mean to harm her. I just needed her for one purpose."

Jack opened his mouth to reply but Daveigh placed a cool finger on his lips. "She'll be fine. She'll live and you can have your happily ever after." She stood up straight, her form beginning to fade. "But it's time for me to go. I've been here to long, but just long enough to end this."

"Daveigh . . ."

She smiled again, her body evaporating like smoke caught on the wind. "I'll always watch over you Jack. I'll always love you."

Before Jack could respond Daveigh disappeared, the last thing he could see of her was a lingering smile. He stared at the empty space that she had occupied, thoughts wandering aimlessly through his mind. Through a thin haze Jack could hear one of the Naval Officers running back through the house to reach the outside. He knew that they were going to get help, a doctor possibly, but his mind would not register it. She was gone for good now. Perhaps now he could sleep in peace; could live without the anger and the guilt.

Perhaps now he could go on with the rest of his life without being ashamed of his past.

* * *

AN: I am so sorry that this took so long for me to write and honestly I did the best I could. I'm not entirely sure about the outcome but I hope all of you will forgive me. I have had extreme writer's block, but thank god that that has almost completely passed. Sadly this story is almost over. I don't plan on writing a sequel for it because I know exactly where I want to leave my characters at the end. For those of you waiting patiently for an update on DCD, I ask that you please wait just a little bit longer. I would like to finish this story first and then finish off DCD. I have had writer's block for that story too, and it's driving me crazy! I hope that you liked this chapter! I hope to update more soon. 


	19. The End is Just the Beginning

**AN: **Sorry guys! I've had this chapter written for days but ff dot net has had a problem and I wasn't able to upload it until now! The good news is is that it's given me time to write the next chapter! Anyway, enjoy!

Ashes to Ashes

**Chapter 18: The End is Just the Beginning**

It had been weeks since the group had returned to Port Royal; weeks since Ashleigh had woken up on her brother's ship. The bullet wound in her left shoulder throbbed incessantly, always a constant reminder of the events that had taken place. Her mind roiled with the memories of the months she had spent out at sea; her thoughts always turning to the one man who had been with her throughout her entire ordeal. But he was gone when she woke up. She hadn't even had a chance to say goodbye.

Now Ashleigh sat at Elizabeth's wedding, her brother by her side holding her hand protectively. Ashleigh smiled as the vows were repeated and husband and wife kissed. Michael squeezed her hand, causing her to look up at him in alarm. He smiled down at her, the kindness in his eyes helping to ease her troubled mind slightly.

Michael had told her of when Jack left. Her father had been ready to arrest him, had already ordered Norrington to place him and his crew under arrest. Michael had saved him, against his better judgment he told her, by detaining his father until Jack and the _Black Pearl_ could break away. Even though she knew he was gone, knew that Jack was far away and would never return, Ashleigh swore she could still feel him near her.

Music started as Will and Elizabeth began to walk slowly down the aisle, arms linked together. Elizabeth smiled brightly at Ashleigh as she walked past, her face glowing. Ashleigh attempted a sincere smile at her friend, trying to hide her own pain. She was happy for her friend, she was. And she wished Elizabeth the greatest happiness for the rest of her life. Ashleigh just wished that her life could turn out the same way, but she already knew that would never happen.

In two weeks time she would be shipped back to England with her father, destined to marry the bore of a man, Eric Summers. Her life would return to what it once was; a boring, mundane time full of doing nothing, waiting for her husband to call for her. That was not a life she was looking forward to.

Ashleigh hated having to do this. Now that she was 'freed' from the pirates clutches, she was once again under her father's rule. She could not believe that he had brought her fiancé with him to Port Royal. Ashleigh had no desire to marry; she had no desire to return to England and face her horrible future.

Ashleigh shook her head, erasing the frightening thoughts from her mind. She must focus on her friends' wedding day for now. For now she must not dwell on misery and her own impending marriage; for now she must only be happy for her friends.

* * *

A solitary figure hid amongst the trees and buildings, his dark eyes watching the wedding party march down the wide aisle. A smile lit his face as he watched the happy couple walk down the aisle, their arms interlinked. The only other person in the party that could have looked happier was the bride's father. The governor's face was lit up with a smile as he watched his only daughter walk away with her new husband.

The figure's eyes scanned the crowd, all of the happy people applauding the new marriage. There was one face that stood out however. The woman was pale and the smile on her face was forced. He could see her expression even from this distance. She was in pain and her appearance showed it. He wanted to go to her but knew he couldn't. He shouldn't have left the way he did, shouldn't have left without at least leaving her a note, but his crew and his ship's safety would always have to come first, no matter what the situation; no matter who he would have to leave behind.

He knew that pained her but for his crew's well-being he would have to stay away.

* * *

Phantom hands roamed over her skin; trailing up and down her sides, playing over her arms and neck. Ashleigh shivered in her sleep as she felt the fingers touch her. A chaste kiss was placed on her forehead, the kiss lingering for several seconds. A brush of hair on her cheek started to rouse her from her light slumber. Her eyes opened as the lips left her forehead and she sat up slowly as a shadowed figure stood at her window. "Jack?" she whispered, her eyes trying to take in the dark form standing by the open window.

"Jack?" she called again, her voice rising. "Jack?"

The figure looked back at her for a moment and then turned away again. For a second Ashleigh thought she saw a flash of gold teeth glinting in the moonlight. She threw the covers off of her and slid out of bed. The figure shook his head slightly, attempting to tell her to stay away.

Ashleigh stumbled towards him, her nightgown tripping her up. She hit the nightstand, knocking the candlestick holder onto the floor with a crash. "No," she said, "Jack."

The form jumped out of the window, his hair and jacket flying around him. "No," she cried again, running to the window, trying to catch him before he disappeared. "Jack!" she screamed.

The door behind her burst open, Michael standing in the doorway. "Ashleigh!"

He ran to her, grabbing hold of her around her waist and pulling her away from the open window before she could fall through. "Ashleigh, calm down. It's okay, it'll be okay."

"No! No, he was here. I know he was," she whispered, her body going slack in her brother's arms. "I saw him. He was at the window; I saw him."

Michael held her to him, holding her protectively as his eyes searched the window. Ashleigh collapsed to her knees, Michael following. "He's gone, Ashleigh. You must have been dreaming."

"No," she whispered, tears falling from her eyes. Her fingers clutched the nightshirt that he wore, almost as if she were holding on for dear life.

"It'll be okay," he whispered, rubbing her back gently, attempting to calm her down. "It's going to be okay."

Michael held onto her, rocking her back and forth. He knew his sister was hurting; knew she missed the enigmatic pirate captain. He only wished that he could ease her pain; only wished that he could help her. But he knew there was nothing he could do. Ashleigh would have to get through this ordeal herself. Michael knew that she wouldn't allow him to help her, that she would not talk to him about what she was feeling. He knew that she would never forget either.

"Come, Ashleigh, let's get you in bed," Michael whispered, gently smoothing her hair down as he held her. "You need your rest."

Ashleigh nodded silently, allowing Michael to help her to her feet and lead her slowly to her bed. Once she was lying on her back, Michael pulled the sheets up to her chest and wiped the tears from her face. "Sleep, my sister. I'll see you in the morning."

Ashleigh nodded again, closing her eyes and allowing the darkness to overtake her troubled mind.

* * *

She had not wanted to go home, she had not wanted to return to the life that she hated. And now, in one day's time, she would be married to a man that she did not love, much less know. She had wished-no, she had hoped-that Jack would have come back for her again. Ashleigh knew that he had been there so many weeks ago; knew that he had been the one to visit her late in the night.

Ashleigh shook her head as she sat in the small window seat in her room. A small book was sitting in her lap, untouched as she stared unseeingly out of her window. She was under a form of house arrest. She was not able to leave her home, much less her room, until her father came for her on her wedding day. If she did wish to leave, either her brother or her father had to be with her. It was infuriating having to live under her father's rule again.

God she wanted to get out of her house. She wanted to get out of her life. If only someone would come for her before her wedding was to take place. But Ashleigh knew it would never happen. She was forgotten. She was left behind to rot for rest of her life in a loveless marriage with no hope of escape; no hope of ever being free. Now all she could do was wait. Wait for her bleak future to find her.

* * *

**AN: **Wow. Once again it has been just about five months since I last updated. I am so sorry. Anyway, the next chapter is going to be the last. I know it's going to be upsetting, but trust me; you'll like how it ends. I promise that I'll update faster this time, I have a complete idea as to how it's going to end. I hope you all liked the chapter. Once again I'm not entirely sure how it came out, but I ended it how I saw fit. Review if you like! 


	20. Wonder

**Disclaimer: **I do not own the song used in this chapter. The song is "Wonder" by Megan McCauley.

Ashes to Ashes

**Chapter 19: Wonder**

_When breathing's a burden we all have to bear_

_And trust is one thing we're taught never to share_

_Somehow you just seem to shine_

_When loving means breaking and saying goodbye_

The crowd had gathered for the joyous occasion. The guests murmured amongst themselves; their eyes never leaving the man and woman standing in front of them. The dress was a pale blue, the train curling softly around her feet. A translucent veil covered her face, the top of it buried in her black hair. Her dull green eyes peered at her husband-to-be through the thin fabric of her veil.

The priest droned on next to her, reciting the traditional wedding verse. She had almost completely tuned him out after she recited her vows, his voice just a little speck in the background of her mind. Her mind was jolted back to the wedding as the priest finished his speech.

"I now pronounce you man and wife. You may now kiss the bride."

Eric Summers lifted the veil from his new bride's face. He drew back slightly when he saw the silent tears running down her cheeks, flowing from her dull green eyes.

Ashleigh blinked the tears away and leaned up; beginning the kiss they were meant to have. The crowd of guests behind them cheered and clapped, celebrating their new union.

* * *

The day had dawned bright, the sun beating down as always. Ashleigh stood at the bow of the ship, her hands playing with a tiny rope; tying and un-tying it over and over unconsciously. The wind blew softly, rustling the lace on her wide-brimmed hat.

Her eyes gazed out to sea, hoping she would be able to see waters that she was familiar with. Ashleigh sighed. It had been two weeks since she had gotten married and set off for her honeymoon. Two weeks of utter boredom and sheer depression.

It wasn't that she didn't enjoy the company. Oh no. The sailors on board were delightful and funny. It was more that she was not in love with the man she was married to. Her heart belonged to another; a man who was farther away from her than she liked.

If it had not been to save his life, Ashleigh would have stayed with him; she would have found a way. She would have stayed in his arms until the day she died. But now she was forced to be in the arms of a man she did not care about and could never love.

"What are you thinking of, my dear?"

Ashleigh jumped slightly at the sudden voice and turned around, plastering a fake smile to her lips. "Nothing. I was merely watching the waves. The water is so calming and beautiful." She paused, her eyes growing distant. "Although I have heard it called a jealous lover," she started, her voice dropping to a whisper. "She gets angry when someone is wronged."

"Pardon?" he questioned.

Ashleigh smiled slightly, shaking her head. "It's nothing. I was just talking to myself."

"Are you alright, my dear? You have seemed very distant since we set out on our voyage."

"I-" Ashleigh started, and then stopped herself. How could she explain that she still longed for the wild pirate captain? How could she tell her husband that she still missed the captain's touches; his sweet caresses? There was no way that she could tell him that. "I-yes. I'm fine. My shoulder just aches every so often."

"This sea air is what does it," Eric stated matter-of-factly. "It is not good for a woman's constitution."

Ashleigh felt her back grow rigid at his words. She knew he was aware of her adventures over in the Caribbean, but how much he knew, she was not sure. She was sure her father would not have told him the truth; otherwise he would not be saying what he was. If he'd had any idea of what she had been doing all those months at sea he would never have agreed to the marriage.

"That must be it," Ashleigh responded, pushing her irritation away. It was difficult to be on a ship with men who believed she was no more than a pampered lady when she had been so used to pulling her own weight on a ship. "I'll just go to the cabin. The sun is too hot for me today. I feel the need to cool off inside."

"Oh, yes, of course," Eric replied moving aside to let her pass. "I'll escort you."

Ashleigh groaned inwardly. "No, no thank you. I think I just need to rest. I will be fine on my own."

"Oh, oh yes. Rest well, my dear."

Ashleigh smiled slightly at him as she walked by, her hands clasped lightly against the front of her dress. The moment she closed the door to her cabin, she sighed, taking off the blue hat that she wore and threw it on the floor next to her. She was tired. Ashleigh made her way to the soft bed, falling onto the mattress, burying her face in the pillows. Tears began to trail down her cheeks, wetting the pillow.

No matter how hard she tried, no matter how much she tried to hold them back. The tears would not stop. She was upset. She was hurt. She was alone. With these thoughts rolling through her mind, she cried herself to sleep.

_Caught in a trap of what we're taught to believe_

_When night overcomes day, life's so hard to perceive_

_And the clock keeps on ticking through night-shattered skies_

_Where the stars are all broken, and so are all the ties_

_But the one thing remaining is you_

_When I'm broken and bleeding, you pull me right through_

The boom echoed in the dark night, the splash of water sounding soon after. Ashleigh was jolted awake, sitting up in bed quickly. A single candle had been lit on the night table next to her bed. Another boom sounded again, this one causing the boards beneath her feet to shake.

She scrambled to her feet and ran out of the room, stopping in her tracks as several sailors ran past her, rifles in their hands. "What is going on?" she asked, stopping one of them in their tracks by grabbing his arm roughly.

The man looked back at her quickly. "You should be inside, miss. Now's not the time to be out of your room."

"Don't give me that," she snapped. "Now tell me what the hell is going on!"

"Pirates," was his simple reply.

Ashleigh's grip loosened at his words, her mouth opening slightly. Pirates? A surge of hope raced through her body as the sailor ran off. Could it be? Could he . . .?

Ashleigh ran after them, making her way through the corridor. An explosion above her slammed her against the wall, making her lose her balance slightly. She steadied herself, lifting her skirts and once again running towards the top deck. Another explosion came moments later although this one farther away.

Ashleigh could feel the cannons below her feet as they exploded in retaliation. Men were scrambling around readying their weapons and making sure the pirates could not board. Ashleigh ran to the railing to see the ship attacking them. Sure enough a pirate color was raised, the large skull glaring out at them. Her hope died, though, when she saw the ship.

"It's not the _Pearl_," she whispered.

A hand grabbed her arm, pulling her away from the railing. "What are you doing our here? I insist you go back to the cabin!"

"I can help," she said, talking loud enough so that Eric could hear her above the explosions. "I can help out here!"

"No. I will not allow you to be injured. You will go back to the cabin now."

Ashleigh groaned in frustration. "I will help whether you like it or not. This is not the time for arguing!"

A blast hit the stern, sending men and wood flying. "Hard to starboard!" the captain yelled, standing firm at the helm.

"Sir! The blast took out the rudder! She won't turn, captain!"

"Dammit! Hands to braces men! They may have disabled us but we will not go down without a fight! Mr. Summers, I suggest you and your wife go below decks."

Eric grabbed hold of Ashleigh's arm, dragging her back towards the cabin. She struggled against him, attempting to free herself from his grasp. "I can help them! Let me go! They'll need my help!"

"They have enough men helping, Ashleigh," Eric replied tersely. "You heard the captain. He has ordered us to our cabin."

Ashleigh was pushed unceremoniously into the cabin, Eric following quickly after and then locking the door. "So you would just leave those men to die?" she cried. "No wonder my father likes you. You are just like him!" she spat.

"And what would you have done? A woman would only have been in the way."

Loud shouting drifted down from the deck, the sound of swords clashing together and pistols being shot echoed down to the cabin. Ashleigh's eyes widened slightly at the sound but then slowly narrowed. "You have no idea who you are dealing with. I have fought pirates before! They could use my help and if you do not move out of my way, I will make you move."

Eric stared at her, incredulous that she would speak to him this way. A sudden silence over the ship stopped him before he could reply. A satisfied smirk crossed Eric's face. "You see? The captain and his men have handled the pirates on their own."

The complete silence was unsettling to Ashleigh. There was something not right with how it sounded. "No," she whispered. Ashleigh pushed past Eric, unlocking the door and opening it quickly. A scream bubbled up in her throat at the scene she saw once she opened the door.

A pirate crew stood outside of her cabin looking dirty, ragged and altogether unpleasant. Her eyes widened as she fought the fear welling up inside her.

"'Ello love," the first pirate growled as he grabbed hold of her arm

Images flashed through Ashleigh's mind of the first pirate attack she had gone through. It was similar to this one. The pirates were here to claim whatever they wanted, however they could. "No," she whispered again. "No. I won't let this happen again."

Ashleigh clenched her left fist and swung it up, punching the pirate holding her in his nose. His head fell back from the blow, his grip on her arm relaxing. She pulled free; grabbing hold of the dagger hilt nestled in his belt and brought it to bear, holding it in front of her for protection.

The first pirate wiped the blood from his nose and grinned down at her. Ashleigh slashed the dagger at him, swinging it effortlessly at his throat. He dodged it and then grabbed hold of her wrist, twisting it quickly. With a cry of pain Ashleigh dropped the dagger. Panic surged through her body and she swung wildly at the pirate. He blocked her punch easily and returned with one of his own, his fist connecting with her cheek.

"Ashleigh!" she heard Eric cry as consciousness began to seep away. The last thing she remembered was Eric rushing towards her in the only display of affection that he had ever shown her.

* * *

Voices speaking around her woke Ashleigh from her uneasy rest.

"'E ain't gonna be 'appy."

"What the 'ell was I supposed ta do? Bitch tried ta kill me with me own dagger."

"Still can't believe ya let a _woman _best ya."

"She didn't best me, ya bastard. I still beat 'er."

"Not wit' fair play."

"Pirate," the first one replied and Ashleigh could hear his grin through her muffled mind. She made a soft noise in her throat as she heard them.

"Eh?" one of them said. "She's awake, gents."

"Where-?" Ashleigh mumbled.

"Yer on our ship, lass. Safe an' sound, jus' like we promised."

"Promised who?" she muttered, pushing herself up slowly, rubbing her aching skull.

The pirates stopped their jesting as soon as she spoke. They looked at one another, each one not knowing what to say. "You don't need to be knowin' that, lass," a new voice replied from behind the crowd of boisterous pirates. "That little bit of information is for me to know."

The crew separated, allowing the man to walk through. "Who are you?" Ashleigh asked pointedly.

The man smiled. "Captain Adam Drake at your service, love," he replied, holding out his hand for her to take.

Ashleigh took his hand cautiously, wondering all the while what he could possibly have up his sleeve. "And the crew on my ship?"

"Safe as a virgin in a church my lady," he replied. "No one was injured save for perhaps your loving-" at this she made a noise-"husband. He foolishly attacked my men when they tried to take you. Unfortunate lump on his head is what he received."

"But why-" she began.

"Hush now, love. You'll find out soon enough, but for now you don't need ta know anythin'. Jus' know that nothin' and no one is gonna hurt you. You'll be safe an' sound on my ship until we reach our destination an' then you'll be handed over."

A sense of dread ran down her spine at his words. Hand her over? What did he mean? Who was she being delivered to?

* * *

The sun was high in the sky when Captain Drake yelled for his crew to drop anchor. The sea was calm beneath the ship, the gently rolling waves brushing the bottom of the ship. Ashleigh stared out at the island that lay just in front of them, her eyes scanning the empty shoreline.

"Why are we making berth here, Captain?" she asked. She had become comfortable around the enigmatic captain and his crew in the past few weeks. They had become her friends in the short time, all of them teaching her different things that she had not learned on her other recent pirate escapades. One man, Captain Drake's first mate and who Ashleigh lovingly called Curly since he was completely void of any hair, had been especially kind to her, always teaching her new shanties and new dance steps. "What makes this island so special?"

Drake smiled down at her, his light grey eyes laughing. "This is where he told us to meet him."

Ashleigh sighed in exasperation. "Who?"

Drake laughed. "Still can't tell you lass; 'tis a surprise."

"Why?"

"Simple, lass. I made the man a promise. I owed him a favor an' I'm cashin' it in. That man can't say I own him anything now."

Ashleigh stared over at him, frustrated. For the last several days she had attempted to get the information about this mystery man from every pirate on the ship, but none of them would give her anything. She had her suspicions. She had her hunches. But most importantly she had her hopes.

"C'mon, lass, it's time to take you ashore," Captain Drake said, offering her his arm.

Ashleigh accepted it, linking her arm through his. He escorted her down the stairs from the helm towards one of the longboats that had been lowered to take them to the island. She climbed into the boat after Captain Drake, him raising his hand to assist her down.

Ashleigh smiled as she accepted his hand, stumbling a little as the boat swayed away from her step. She was nervous as the boat was lowered completely, landing in the water with a dull splash. She wanted to believe that her new found friends would not take her to someone that would harm her; she wanted to believe that they would not allow anything to happen to her. But another part of her told her that they were nothing but pirates. They did what suited them, whatever gave them the biggest pay day.

Her stomach lurched as the small boat hit the white sand of the beach. Her time was almost coming to a close. She did not know what fate awaited her. She allowed Drake to help her out of the boat and onto the soft sand. Sand washed around her ankles as the water rushed up against them.

The beach was empty when they arrived. Ashleigh looked up and down the beach slowly, her eyes squinting against the sun. Palm trees swayed in the wind as waves lapped at their boots.

"There's no one here, Captain," she said, shielding her eyes with her hand. "Who are you supposed to meet?"

"He'll be here, lass. Just be patient."

A shout to their left drew Ashleigh's attention away from the enigmatic captain. She squinted her eyes again, attempting to see who had yelled.

A smile crossed Drake's face, his grey eyes dancing. "Ah. There he is now."

As the man drew closer, Ashleigh's heart began to pound. She was afraid. She did not want to be handed over to some stranger. She'd had enough of being kidnapped and dragged to places she didn't want to go.

"No," she whispered as the man became clearer, her eyes widening. "No."

Drake smiled down at her again. "Go, lass. He's waitin' on you."

Ashleigh threw her arms around Drake's neck quickly, brushing a kiss to his cheek. "Thank you," she whispered and then let go, turning in the sand and beginning to run away from the pirate captain and his crew. Cheers rose up behind her as they watched her run.

Ashleigh's boots kicked up sand behind her as she ran. Her heart pounded as she ran, her breathing ragged. A smile lit her face as she got closer. Thousands of thoughts ran through her mind. How could he have pulled this off? Why did he do this? Why was he here?

Ashleigh stopped mere inches from him, her face red from the exhilaration of her run. Her smile grew wider as she stared up into his smiling face. "Jack," she breathed.

Jack Sparrow smiled down at her then, his gold teeth glinting. Without a word he grabbed her arm and pulled her roughly to him, pressing his lips to hers.

Ashleigh returned the kiss eagerly, wrapping her arms around his neck. She pulled away after a moment, resting her forehead against his, the wind playing with their hair, entangling the strands together. "Jack," she began. "Jack, I-"

As finger on her lips stopped her. "Hush, love. Nothin' needs to be said. Just live in the moment."

"But Jack, I'm married," she replied, holding up her hand to show the simple gold ring.

Jack stared down at the ring, pursing his lips slightly. His rough hands grabbed her hand lightly, one hand tugging on the small gold band. The ring slipped off of her finger easily when he tugged. Jack held it up, looking at it in the sunlight. His eyes squinted slightly at the ring until a grin lit his face.

He wrapped one arm around her waist, pulling her closer. "It's only a ring love," he whispered back, nonchalantly tossing the ring over his shoulder, the small object landing in the white sand behind him.

Ashleigh laughed and pulled his face down to hers. She felt Jack smile as she kissed him. Laughter bubbled up in her chest during the kiss. Standing there, with him in his arms, was the happiest she had ever been and would probably ever be.

_I can't help but wonder what it is you do_

_You help heal the pain, and the thoughts of the truth_

_You're a question to the universe, a wonder to the world_

_And somehow, when I'm with you, I never get burned

* * *

_

**AN:** So? What did you think? I hope you liked it. It took me forever to write. I had more problems trying to finish this chapter than any of the other ones. I guess I just didn't want to let go. I don't think I will write a sequel unless I can think of something really good for it. But chances are I won't be able to. I'm sorry to see this go, but, alas, it is time. I hope everyone enjoyed and I just wanted to say what an honor it has been to write these characters for your enjoyment.


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